Grassley received the award at a luncheon during the Association's 12th Annual Federal Government Affairs Forum, April 28 through May 2, at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington, D.C.
"We are happy to express our sincere gratitude to Senator Grassley for his hard work on behalf of the physical therapy profession in the past year," said APTA President Jan K. Richardson, PT, PhD, OCS. "Thanks to Senator Grassley, Medicare patients in need of therapy services can get the treatment they need and deserve. He is a true champion of physical therapy."
During 1999, Senator Grassley lobbied his colleagues on Capitol Hill to remedy the $1,500 cap on outpatient therapy services that was imposed in 1997 by the Balanced Budget Act. In November 1999, Grassley was successful in getting signed into law a two-year moratorium on the $1,500 limit that took effect in January 2000.
The APTA Public Service Award was established in 1991. It is given annually to an individual(s) who has been a significant supporter of the profession of physical therapy.
Grassley said he was grateful to receive the award. "For many older Americans, getting the right physical therapy is key to maintaining good health," Grassley said. "A payment cap was based on the bottom line, not on what the patient needs. Now Medicare patients are receiving physical therapy based on their medical conditions, not on arbitrary payment limits."