Medicare Now Covers Treadmill Therapy for Vascular Disease

Here's some good news for anyone with vascular disease, a debilitating condition which can occur from cigarette smoking or diabetes and can increase a person’s risk of developing a heart attack or stroke, and sometimes resulting in limb amputation. Medicare is now going to cover the cost of treadmill therapy once recommended and monitored by a health care professional.

With few treatment solutions, people suffering with vascular disease experience pain and cramping in the legs described as “feeling as if their leg is in a vise,” according to University of Minnesota’s Diane Treat-Jacobson. Prescription medications have proven unsuccessful in limiting pain, and even though stent or bypass procedures can help, they’re costly and come with their own related risks. The most recent research is showing that treadmill therapy can be just as effective, at a considerably lower cost, and with Medicare on board to pay for that cost, a large number of rehab centers are planning for a wave of people prepared to give it a shot.

The expectation is that other insurance agencies will soon follow suit and offer coverage for treadmill therapy, which is often the case once Medicare covers a treatment option. Currently, over 2,000 hospital-based rehabilitation facilities are preparing to provide treadmill exercise sessions to those whose medical practitioners prescribe and oversee them.

Given that those with vascular disease frequently limit physical exercise because of leg pain, the benefits of supervised treadmill therapy go beyond reduced hospitalizations and financial savings to enhancing cardiovascular and lung health, lengthening the distance a person with vascular disease can walk without having pain, and also possibly extending length and quality of life.

If your elderly loved one is one of the 8 million Americans suffering the challenges of vascular disease, or some other medical condition that makes living at home independently challenging, contact All Care In-Home Care Solutions. We can provide support in numerous ways, including:

• Offering transportation and accompaniment to treatment as well as other healthcare appointments
• Helping with activities in the home, like light housework and laundry
• Making wholesome and appealing meals
• Running errands including buying groceries and prescriptions
• Offering motivation for seniors to participate in physician-approved exercise programs
• Supplying pleasant companionship – someone with whom to take walks, delight in favorite hobbies and leisure activities, and become more actively involved in the world around them
• And much more

Contact us at (541) 857-9195 to learn more about our individualized in home care Ashland and the surrounding communities rely on to boost the quality of life for your loved one!