Legislative issues. The federal financing and regulation of physical medicine and rehabilitation services.

This article describes major elements in the federal legislative system of the United States affecting the financing and delivery of rehabilitation and related services to persons with disabilities. It deals with existing federal statutory law and regulations, as well as pending legislation dealing with patients rights in health care that has been passed by both bodies in Congress but is not law as of late 2001. The recently revised federal Medicare law financing much of the inpatient hospital rehabilitation and outpatient rehabilitation services is described in detail, as is the Medicare law financing graduate medical education. The article also discusses the Americans with Disabilities Act as it affects PMR professionals and the application of the Stark Physician Referral law as it applies to typical business transactions in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation services. This information should assist PMR professionals in better understanding the legal regulatory system in which they provide services and support to their patients.