Bill Would Allow Physical Therapy Services without Physician Referral

WASHINGTON — The Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists
Act (H.R. 1829), introduced March 31 by Reps. Earl Pomeroy,
D-N.C.; Tim Murphy, R-Pa.; and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., would allow
physical therapists to evaluate and treat beneficiaries without a
physician referral.

“Direct access under Medicare would remove unnecessary barriers
to the cost-effective rehabilitation services provided by physical
therapists,” said American Physical Therapy Association President R.
Scott Ward, PT, PhD, in a statement. “Currently these health care
consumers, which include seniors and people with disabilities,
often have the greatest need for physical therapy services and
experience unnecessary burdens to access these services.

“The referral/certification process can often cause delays that
can impede a patient’s ability to achieve his or her optimal
functional outcome,” he continued. “In light of today’s economic
environment, timely access to cost-effective physical therapy
services for Medicare beneficiaries is critical.”

Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia have eliminated
the physician referral requirement for patients to access PTs for
an evaluation, while 44 states and D.C. allow access to some form
of physical therapy treatment without referral. The legislation
would defer to the state law on access regarding physical
therapy.

“Requiring Medicare patients to get a physician referral before
they can see a physical therapist puts an undue burden on residents
of rural areas who often travel long distances just to see their
doctor,” Pomeroy said. “Removing the physician referral requirement
would save valuable time and money for Medicare patients in North
Dakota and across the country.”

A Senate companion bill is expected in the next several weeks,
the APTA said.

Read the text of the Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act
(H.R. 1829) bill.