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Why Repealing MPPR Matters for Physical Therapy and the Patients We Serve

ByMae Bonnaci

Earlier this week on Capitol Hill, physical therapists from across the country, including Katie Hohman DPT, CoFounder of HENO and owner of three Hohman Rehab and Sports Therapy practices, came together to advocate for meaningful policy change, especially around one issue that continues to impact care every single day: the repeal of the Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR) policy.

The United States Capitol building with a clear blue sky, surrounded by green trees and parked cars—a symbol of care for patients and physical therapy advancements.

At first glance, MPPR might sound like just another piece of healthcare legislation. But for providers and patients alike, its effects are tangible, and increasingly difficult to ignore.

What is MPPR?

MPPR is a Medicare policy that reduces reimbursement when a therapist provides multiple services to a patient during the same visit. Specifically, it cuts the practice expense portion of all therapy services beyond the first by 50%.

That’s significant when you consider that the practice expense component makes up roughly 45% of the total value of a CPT code.

What this means is:
The more comprehensive and necessary care a patient receives in one session, the less providers are reimbursed for delivering it.

Why this policy is a problem.

Well, because it isn’t evidence based.

MPPR wasn’t designed based on clinical data & reports or even patient outcomes. It was introduced over 15 years ago as a short-term budget measure, and it’s stuck around ever since.

The result? A policy that:

  • Penalizes comprehensive care
    • Patients with complex conditions often require multiple interventions in a single visit. MPPR reduces reimbursement for exactly that kind of care.
  • Duplicates existing reductions
    • Practice expenses are already carefully evaluated and adjusted when CPT codes are created. MPPR applies an additional cut on top of that, without justification.
  • Impacts access to care
    • Clinics, especially in rural and underserved areas, rely on the ability to provide multiple services in one visit. Reduced reimbursement can limit what’s sustainable, ultimately affecting patient access.
  • Strains providers and practices
    • When reimbursement doesn’t reflect the true cost of care, it becomes harder for clinics to operate, grow, and continue serving their communities.

The push for change: Bill H.R. 8386

There is momentum building to finally address this issue.

A new bill, H.R. 8386, led by Representative Deborah Ross, aims to repeal the MPPR policy altogether. A Senate companion bill is also expected to follow.

This legislation represents an important step toward aligning reimbursement with the realities of modern, evidence-based care.

Three women in cluding Katie Hohman Co-Founder of HENO and owner of Hohman Sprts and Rehab Therapy, stand before an office door marked Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Florida 2442, highlighting advocacy for patients and physical therapy beside Florida and U.S. flags.

Why Advocacy Matter

Policy change doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens because providers come together and speak up.

The conversations taking place on Capitol Hill are about more than reimbursement. They’re about:

  1. Protecting patient access
  2. Supporting sustainable practices
  3. Ensuring that care decisions are driven by clinical need, not outdated policy.

When physical therapists advocate, they’re advocating for their patients just as much as their profession.

What you can do:

If you’re a provider, clinic owner, or someone who believes in accessible, high-quality care, your voice matters.

Reach out to your local representatives and urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 8386 and support the repeal of the Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR).

Because at the end of the day, better policy leads to better care, and that’s something worth advocating for.

  • Three people, Katie Hohman DPT Co-Founder of HENO and owner of Hohman Sports and Rehab Therapy, stand side by side in an office with military and government seals displayed on the wall behind them, suggesting a space dedicated to patients or physical therapy services.
  • Three people, Katie Hohman DPT Co-Founder of HENO and owner of Hohman Sports and Rehab Therapy, pose in an office in front of a whiteboard filled with notes about physical therapy. Two women stand on the left; a man in a suit stands on the right. A clock is on the wall.
  • Office sign for Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, MPPR advocate, with office number 2442 displayed below the nameplate.
  • Three people in business attire stand before a closed door and an American flag, holding blue folders as if preparing to advocate for patients in physical therapy.
  • Katie Hohman, DPT wearing sunglasses and a HENO jacket stands outside on a sunny day, advocating for MPPR reform for physical therapy patients, with the U.S. Capitol building in the background.
  • The United States Capitol building under a clear blue sky, with cars parked in front and a person walking on the sidewalk—an important site for decisions on patient care and physical therapy policy.
  • Office plaque for Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost of Florida, room 1224, next to a U.S. flag—supporting patients and physical therapy concerns in Congress.
  • The United States Capitol building with a clear blue sky, surrounded by green trees and parked cars—a symbol of care for patients and physical therapy advancements.
  • Gold letters on a marble wall read Russell Senate Office Building, where vital decisions on Physical Therapy and repealing MPPR impact patients nationwide.
  • Two people Katie Hohman DPT Co-Founder of HENO and owner of Hohman Sports and Rehab Therapy, stand in front of the U.S. Capitol on a sunny day, discussing physical therapy and MPPR as vehicles and a few other people appear in the background.
  • Three women including Katie Hohman, DPT, Co-Founder of HENO and owner of Hohman Sports and Rehab Therapy, stand before an office door marked Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Florida 2442, highlighting advocacy for patients and physical therapy beside Florida and U.S. flags.
  • Three people, Katie Hohman, DPT, Co-Founder of HENO and owner of Hohman Sports and Rehab Therapy, stand in front of Representative Laurel M. Lee's office, 2464, advocating for patients and physical therapy. An American flag is visible to the right of the group.

    • If you’re interested in the agenda that was covered, you can view that here.

    If you’re interested in learning more about HENO, book a demo and see what we are all about!

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