Representatives Pete Olson (R-TX) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today introduced legislation to recognize the contributions of rehabilitation innovation centers that serve a unique role in treating complex rehabilitation needs across the United States. Olson and Schakowsky introduced H.R. 1901, the Preserving Rehabilitation Innovation Centers Act. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have also introduced a companion bill in the Senate.
“Rehabilitation Innovation Centers provide critical and innovative treatments to patients, making them leaders in a complex medical field,” Rep. Pete Olson said. “These centers support technology transfers, the sharing of research findings and best practices through collaborative relationships with institutions and hospitals across the country that benefit their patients. Memorial Herman TIRR in Houston, Texas is one of these centers providing exceptional care for patients with extremely difficult cases. Allowing the Department of Health and Human Services to recognize these rehabilitation innovation centers based on specific metrics will encourage improved quality of care at other centers, helping even more patients across the nation. I thank my colleague Jan Schakowsky for working with me on this important, bipartisan issue and hope we can get this bill to the House floor soon.”
“Rehabilitation Innovation Centers are essential to driving the future of research in this field,” Rep. Jan Schakowsky said. “In Illinois’ 9th District, AbilityLab treats patients with the most complex rehabilitation needs, from brain injuries and strokes, to burns and wartime injuries. These Centers have also been critical to the recovery of my colleagues who have been victims of gun violence. I am proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to support the nation’s leading research-oriented rehabilitation hospitals and the people they serve around the nation.”
H.R. 1901 ensures that the nation’s leading inpatient research-oriented rehabilitation hospitals are recognized for the cutting-edge care they provide to the highest need patients. It recognizes the unique role these inpatient rehabilitation research hospitals play in advancing innovation, research and technology in the medical rehabilitation field. This bill also requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) to conduct a study on the adequacy of current payment rates for these centers.
Reps. Mike Doyle (D-PA), Robin Kelly (D-IL) and Bill Foster (D-IL) are original cosponsors of H.R. 1901.