General Requirements for Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs

For the purposes of St. 1985, c. 628, cardiac rehabilitation treatment must be provided by a "cardiac rehabilitationprogram"whichmeets the requirements set forth hereafter in 105 CMR 143.000. A "cardiac rehabilitation program" or "CRP" shall mean the Phase II and Phase III program components of a multiphasic program of medically necessary treatment that is designed to restore and maintain the individual with documented cardiovascular disease to optimal physiological and psychosocial health. Cardiac rehabilitation treatment shall be initiated within 26 weeks after the diagnosis of or an event related to cardiovascular disease. For the purposes of this section, event related to cardiovascular disease shall at a minimum include angioplasty, cardiovascular surgery and myocardial infarction. Phase II shall mean the outpatient convalescent phase of a multiphasic cardiac rehabilitation program that begins subsequent to hospital discharge and usually extends for three to 12 weeks. Phase III shall mean the outpatient phase of a multiphasic cardiac rehabilitation program that addresses multiple risk reduction, adjustment to illness and therapeutic exercise, follows the convalescent phase and usually extends for a period of 12 to 26 weeks. For the purposes of105 CMR 143.000, "cardiac rehabilitation program" does not include Phase I (the in-patient phase of a multiphasic cardiac rehabilitation program beginning at the time of the cardiac event and continuing until the time of hospital discharge) and Phase IV, (that phase of a multiphasic cardiac rehabilitation program that begins followingcompletionofPhase III and is designed to maintain the patients' rehabilitated cardiovascular health).