Abstract
Purpose: Lymphedema management requires routine use of compression garments to stabilize limb volume and diminish infection risk. The 2024 Lymphedema Treatment Act (LTA) established Medicare coverage for these essential medical supplies. However, this legislation introduced structural challenges to clinical workflows for lymphedema therapists, who traditionally perform measuring, ordering, and fitting. This study evaluated contemporary practices in compression garment fitting, procurement, compensation patterns, and policy-driven impacts on therapist workload and stress.
Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory survey of US lymphedema therapists evaluated the impact of the LTA on clinical workflows. The survey assessed weekly time spent on garment-related tasks, workflow changes since LTA implementation, employer compensation, and perceived professional stress.
Results: Of the 441 lymphedema therapists included in the final analytic sample, 81.6% reported actively measuring and ordering compression garments, yet only 37.9% of those actively measuring reported being fully compensated by their employers for this time. Physical and occupational therapy professionals were significantly more likely to measure and order garments compared to other disciplines (p
Conclusions: This study highlights self-reported changes in compression garment workflows during the first year of LTA implementation, characterized by substantial uncompensated time. While these changes warrant further study regarding long-term workforce impacts, immediate advocacy to unbundle fitting services from garment reimbursement is recommended to reduce therapist burden and safeguard patient access to necessary lymphedema garments.
First Page
7
Last Page
24
DOI
10.26890/xnuf8077
Recommended Citation
Stolker S, Washington KT, Karr K, Amari A, Pitzer KA. Impact of Lymphedema Treatment Act Implementation on Lymphedema Therapists’ Compression Garment Practices. Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice. 2026; 3(3):7-24. doi: 10.26890/xnuf8077.
Survey