Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-556
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]
Introduced: 2015-01-27
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Allied health services

Contracts and agency

Health personnel

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2015-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-01-27
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2015</b></p> <p> Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require physical therapists furnishing outpatient physical therapy services to use specified locum tenens arrangements for payment purposes in the same manner as such arrangements are used to apply to physicians furnishing substitute physicians services for other physicians.</p> <p>(Locum tenens [place holder], or substitute, physicians usually assume professional practices in the absence of a regular physician for reasons such as illness, pregnancy, vacation, or continuing medical education.)</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 556 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 27, 2015 Mr. Bilirakis (for himself, Mr. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico , Mr. Tonko , Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania , Mr. Pompeo , Mr. King of Iowa , and Mr. Meehan ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to add physical therapists to the list of providers allowed to utilize locum tenens arrangements under Medicare, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2015 . 2. Allowing physical therapists to utilize locum tenens arrangements under Medicare (a) In general The first sentence of section 1842(b)(6) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(6) ) is amended— (1) by striking and before (H) ; and (2) by inserting before the period at the end the following: , and (I) in the case of outpatient physical therapy services furnished by physical therapists, subparagraph (D) of this sentence shall apply to such services and therapists in the same manner as such subparagraph applies to physicians’ services furnished by physicians . (b) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to services furnished after the date of the enactment of this Act.