OTAC Advocacy Updates

With the uptick in advocacy and legislative needs, we need your support now more than ever!

How can you help?

• Become an OTAC member: your membership dues support our advocacy efforts and paying our amazing lobbyists! When we bring issues to the House and Senate, OTAC needs to be able to demonstrate that these issues are important to our membership. If we don't have OTAC members that work in these settings or are impacted by these issues, we cannot bring them forward!
• Join a committee or task group! Our OTAC board and committees are run by volunteers - we can always use more passionate people to volunteer their time! Our legislative committee meets the third Wednesday of the month at 5pm.
• Donate

URGENT ACTION ALERT - Medicaid Therapy Cuts!

March 28th: The time to act is NOW!

This past week, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) approved an 8.5% reduction in Medicaid payments for occupational, physical, and speech therapies under the Medicare Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR). While we recognize the state’s financial challenges, this cut is unsustainable and will seriously impact client access to vital therapy services including occupational, physical and speech therapy.

Important: The MPPR is a voluntary program—not a federal mandate. States are not required to implement it. OTAC is actively working to reverse this decision, but we need your help to make a difference.

Learn more here!

Take Action Today:

1. Find Your Senator: Find Your Legislator. Consider going the extra mile by emailing all Colorado Senators! Their emails can be found here.

2. Write to Your Senators: Use the template below, or craft your own message. Personal stories are particularly impactful. Be sure to include:

   • Your name and practice area.

   • Why continuing to serve Medicaid patients is crucial.

   • How these cuts will negatively affect your practice.

   Call to Action: "Please vote YES for the Sen. Cutter/Sen. Rod Pelton amendment to reverse the proposed cut to therapy services for Medicaid patients."

The State Senate will make its final on 4/2—act today to protect essential therapy services!

Thank you for your support and advocacy!

Email Template Option

Subject: Action Alert: Urgent Request to Reverse Medicaid Therapy Cuts

Dear Senator [Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I work as a [Your Practice Area]. The Joint Budget Committee has approved an 8.5% Medicaid payment cut to critical therapy services, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy, under the Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR). This policy unfairly reduces payments when therapists provide multiple services in a single visit, negatively impacting patient access to care.

Medicaid rates are already discounted to reflect bundled therapy services, and applying MPPR on top of these existing discounts is an excessive cut that jeopardizes care. Fewer therapists will be able to accept Medicaid, leading to longer wait times and limited care options.

We urge you to reconsider this decision and ensure Medicaid therapy reimbursement remains fair and accessible. Key points include:

• Current rates already account for multiple services.
  

• Other states have reversed similar cuts due to access issues.
  

• This policy creates unnecessary administrative burdens.
  

• There is no federal requirement for MPPR in Medicaid.
  

Action item: Please vote YES for the Sen. Cutter/Sen. Rod Pelton amendment to reverse the 8.5% cut to therapy services critical to Colorado’s Medicaid population.

Thank you for your consideration.

Equine Therapy

April 1st:  

We’d like to provide an important update regarding recent developments within the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) that affect Medicaid reimbursement for equine therapy services.

Last week, a bill was drafted at the JBC that proposed excluding the use of horses as a therapy tool, essentially reverting to a pre-HB22-1068 situation where equine movement therapy would no longer be reimbursable by Medicaid. However, in an unexpected turn, the JBC decided not to move forward with this bill, despite it being recommended by staff. As a result, the provisions of HB22-1068, which allow for Medicaid reimbursement of equine therapy, remain in effect.

We initially misunderstood some of the details surrounding this bill, and we sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused. To ensure accurate information is shared, we’ve removed the previous Facebook post and are sending this clarification.

We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and will keep you informed of any further updates. Thank you for your continued support and for staying engaged as we work through these developments.

 HB25-1016: Update!

Thank you for your tremendous support! Your letters and testimony played a vital role in the passage of OTAC’s groundbreaking bill on 3/17/25. This legislation updates the Colorado Occupational Therapy Practice Act by allowing OTs to prescribe durable medical equipment without a doctor’s order. We are proud to be the first state in the U.S. to enact such a law, and the bill is now headed to the governor’s office for final approval.

What This Means for You:

• Effective Date: The law will take effect in August 2025.
• Next Steps: At that time, we will provide educational resources in collaboration with PT State Legislation to help you navigate the changes.
• Important Note: Although your client’s insurance may still require a doctor’s order for coverage, this law is a significant step toward shifting current insurance guidelines.

Thank you again for your continued support!

Medicaid Reimbursement Rates - OTAC

The Occupational Therapy Association of Colorado is preparing for the 2025 legislative session, and we need your help! We would appreciate your participation in a brief survey on insurance and Medicaid reimbursement in Colorado. OTAC is using this data to help advocate for Medicaid reimbursement rate increases for you.

The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. If you have any questions, please contact info@otacco.org.

Thank you very much for your time and participation!

Survey Link

Medicaid Provider Rate Review Public Meetings - Department of Health Care Policy and Financing 

Update March 21st: Important Update: Medicaid Outpatient Provider Rates

If you were unable to attend the meeting on Friday, 3/21, led by the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) regarding Medicaid outpatient provider rates, you can still submit your comments and feedback to: HCPF_RateReview@state.co.us. These meetings, hosted by HCPF, will continue throughout the year, but last Friday’s discussion focused on outpatient PT, ST, and OT rates. We will keep you informed about future opportunities to provide feedback and advocate against potential provider rate cuts. 

As Colorado’s legislature and Joint Budget Committee work to address a $1.2 billion deficit this year, Medicaid services could face significant changes. Your voice is more important than ever, especially if you work in an outpatient setting and serve clients with Medicaid. Please make your voice heard!

Medicaid Provider Rate Review Advisory Committee (MPRRAC)

Each year the Medicaid Provider Rate Review Advisory Committee (MPRRAC) focuses on a particular scope based on services under review for that year. Services are reviewed on a three-year basis, but are subject to change. Occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy are up for review this year. 

Dates for 2025 are below:

Friday, July 18th, 2025 - Quarter 2A

Friday, July 25th, 2025 - Quarter 2B

Friday, August 22nd, 2025- Quarter 3

Friday, November 14th, 2025- Quarter 4

HCPF website with zoom link & more information on these meetings!

Colorado Early Intervention: Proposed Cuts

March 28th:

Call to action request!

Please watch this call to action video from Lisa Fyffe here!

Lisa is an OTAC member who is an occupational therapy practitioner. She is actively involved in Early Intervention and our Legislative Committee. Thank you Lisa for your ongoing support and passion in advocating for our profession in EI!

• The EI Provider group has created a document to share their ideas. This document will be directly shared with CDEC leadership. There is a tab for OTPs to share their opinions.
• The EI Provider meetings will offer an overview of the meeting agendas through June 15th. CDEC will share specific strategies with attendees as to which previously proposed cost-containment measures are off the table and which measures are being explored. OTPs need to show up to! The calendar and Google meet link can be found here.

March 21tst: 

Great news for Colorado Early Intervention (EI) services! The Joint Budget Committee (JBC) recently approved an additional $2 million in funding to maintain current EI services through the remainder of the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) has also stepped in with an additional $1.5 million to cover the shortfall. This is a significant win for EI advocates, with many JBC members personally invested in the success of these services. However, the victory is temporary. The JBC met on March 17, 2025, and discussed funding for FY 2025-2026. While there is funding allocated for EI in FY 2025-2026, the JBC was clear that they want to see "sustainability solutions" to reduce the cost of the EI program while still maintaining the quality of the services. CDEC is hosting provider meetings to gather input on proposed cost containment measures, offering a valuable opportunity for providers to influence decisions. For those interested, the JBC has begun discussions on potential changes for EI in the 2025-2026 budget, and providers are encouraged to participate in upcoming working sessions hosted by CDEC. Stay informed and engaged by checking the full meeting calendar here: CDEC Calendar. Follow the actions of the JBC here.

We are gathering information and working with our lobbyists on how we can support this issue. Are you interested in joining a task force? Have information? Please email info@otacco.org

CO Rehab Tri-Alliance Town Hall
First town hall with OTAC, APTA and CSHA!

Our organizations want you to be well-informed about our efforts in the Colorado General Assembly and our commitment to working together for the benefit of our professionals and all Coloradans.

The state is facing a $1B budget shortfall and lawmakers will have difficult decisions to balance the budget. Every cut option is on the table including Medicaid rates. Your association is also working on reducing administrative barriers and expanding your scope of practice to better serve your patients with DME, school sports physicals, creating a SLPA credential, and workers’ compensation.

Watch the recording!