Senator Collins Meets with Mainers from American Occupational Therapy Association

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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins recently met with Maine members of the American Occupational Therapy Association in her Washington, D.C., office to discuss legislation regarding home health care and Maine’s health workforce.

“In clinics and health care centers throughout rural Maine, I frequently hear stories about the severe shortage of physicians and home health care services, which forces Mainers to travel many miles simply to seek medical care,” said Senator Collins.  “The American Occupational Therapy Association is working hard to close this gap in health care services throughout our country, and I was delighted to speak with this group of Maine members about ways we can work together to overcome the challenges they face.”

As the Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, Senator Collins has continuously worked to support America’s health care professionals and home health care.  She recently cosponsored the Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act, legislation introduced by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) to allow occupational therapists to establish eligibility for home health services under Medicare, unlike nursing, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology.

Next week, she will hold an Aging Committee hearing where she will release the Committee’s report on reducing the risk of falls and fall-related injuries.

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is the national professional association established in 1917 to represent the interests and concerns of occupational therapy practitioners and students of occupational therapy as well as to improve the quality of occupational therapy services.

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