Medicare Occupational Therapy Coverage Eligibility Act of 2005

The Medicare Occupational Therapy Coverage Eligibility Act of 2005 (H.R. 3022) was a legislative proposal designed to expand access to home health services for Medicare beneficiaries. Under the rules at the time, patients could only receive covered occupational therapy at home if they first required skilled nursing care, physical therapy, or speech-language pathology.

This bill would have removed those restrictions, allowing occupational therapy to serve as the initial "trigger" for Medicare home health coverage. For citizens, this change would have meant that seniors and people with disabilities could qualify for home-based care based solely on their need for occupational therapy to help with daily activities like dressing, bathing, or eating. Although the bill was introduced in 2005 and referred to a subcommittee, it did not advance further in that session of Congress.