WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced the Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025. The bipartisan legislation would expand and expedite access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services by authorizing physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to order cardiac rehabilitation.
“Our bill can reduce barriers to accessing cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation, thereby improving the health of those living with heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is particularly important in places like West Virginia, where these diseases impact the lives of far too many residents that often face shortages of health care professionals. I’m proud to re-introduce this legislation that offers solutions to increase the level of health services available to West Virginians and all Americans who need them most,” Senator Capito said.
“Timely access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation care is critical to improving the lives of Americans with cardiac conditions or recovering from cardiac events, especially in rural areas,” Senator Klobuchar said. “Our bipartisan legislation will save lives by expanding which clinicians can refer patients to cardiovascular care so that all seniors can get the care they need in a timely manner.”
BACKGROUND:
Cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation are medically directed and supervised programs designed to improve a patient’s physical, psychological, and social functioning. Currently, only physicians are authorized to order cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation for Medicare patients. This restriction can create unnecessary obstacles, delays, and paperwork before patients can receive the rehabilitation services that are needed on a timely basis and make it challenging for programs to operate in areas where physicians are scarce.
The Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025 builds upon the innovative Improving Access to Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Act – legislation that was passed as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 – which authorized physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation beginning in 2024. Senators Capito and Klobuchar previously introduced this legislation in 2023.
The Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025 is supported by several organizations, including: American Heart Association; American Lung Association; American Nurses Association; National Rural Health Association; American Academy of Physician Associates; American Association of Nurse Practitioners; American Association for Respiratory Care; American College of Cardiology; American Thoracic Society; Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association; and WomenHeart.
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