<p align="center" style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size: 16pt;">TAKE ACTION ON THE THERAPY CAP<o:p /></span></b></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size: 16pt;">October 31<sup>st</sup> Advocacy Day
Needs Your Support!<o:p /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Have you used the Medicare therapy cap exceptions process
to
assure that your patients get the therapy they need?<span> </span>Those
exceptions are about to go away?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In <b>less than 80 days</b>
the therapy caps will return without exceptions if Congress does not act.<span>
</span>The current exceptions process expires on
December 31, 2007 and Congress is quickly running out of time to take action on
essential Medicare provisions.<span> </span>In
addition to the return of the therapy cap, without Congressional action
physical therapists will also be subject to a cut in 2008 payments under the
Medicare physician fee schedule of nearly 10%.<span>
</span>It is paramount that physical therapists, physical therapist assistants,
students of physical therapy and the patients we serve <b>TAKE ACTION NOW!<o:p
/></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">APTA, along with leading therapy and patient organizations,
is hosting a focused advocacy effort to make sure Congress hears the message
that the <b>?caps must be stopped?</b> and
that the <b>?cuts must be prevented.?</b><span> </span>To help ensure that
Congress hears this
message loud and clear, we need you to participate.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if
!supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
Symbol;"><span>·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style:
normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Participate
in the October 31<sup>st</sup> ?Stop the Therapy Caps? Advocacy Day in
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Washington</st1:city>, <st1:state
w:st="on">DC</st1:state></st1:place><o:p /></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.25in;" class="MsoNormal"><a
href="http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Therapy_Cap&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=43354">Registration
for the October 31<sup>st</sup> event</a> </p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.25in;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.25in;" class="MsoNormal">Download the registration form
and
fax it today.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if
!supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
Symbol;"><span>·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style:
normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Participate
in the ?Stop the Therapy Caps? toll-free call-in line October 29 through
November 2.<o:p /></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.25in;" class="MsoNormal">Call 866-346-2770 from October
29
to November 2 and be briefed on the key message to share with your
Congressional office on the therapy cap and then be patched directly to your
Members of Congress.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if
!supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
Symbol;"><span>·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style:
normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height:
normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Participate
by sending emails and letters to Capitol Hill to express the need to pass
legislation NOW to stop the therapy caps from returning without exceptions and
to prevent the 10% cut in the physician fee schedule.<o:p /></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.25in;" class="MsoNormal">To email or to print a letter
to send
to Congress, please visit <a
href="http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Advocacy&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=181&ContentID=26507">APTA?s
legislative action center</a> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Share the web address
of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Patient</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Action</st1:placename> <st1:placetype
w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>
with your patients.<o:p /></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The APTA Patient Action Center will assist physical therapy
patients be more involved in this issue with sample letters, a direct email
connection to their Members of Congress, and background information for patient
advocacy efforts.<span> </span><a href="http://capwiz.com/amerpta/home/">Visit
the Patient Action Center</a>. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Additional
information<span> </span><o:p /></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For additional information and the latest updates on the
therapy caps and fee schedule updates visit <a
href="http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Advocacy&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=181&ContentID=26507">APTA?s
website</a>. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>