The Lymphedema Treatment Act: Past, Present, and Future

Our understanding of time is often marked by important events specific to our lives. Some are major undertakings like the moon landing. Others are smaller like a first major league baseball game or stage recital. Some are so specific that only a small percentage of people will experience them, yet these can be both pivotal and substantial. The Lymphedema Treatment Act (LTA) may represent this event for many Certified Lymphedema Therapists (CLTs) and patients. It has opened up a more accessible world of compression care to patients who previously may have only had expensive out-of-pocket costs or charity assistance. It has also had unanticipated effects on clinical care and relationships with medical suppliers. This conversation will focus on the origins of the LTA, what the LTA includes as of January 2024, what the LTA means for therapists currently, and how this Act may impact the future of lymphedema care.