Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-4829
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]
Introduced: 2023-07-24
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Government lending and loan guarantees

Health care coverage and access

Health personnel

Higher education

Medical education

Medicare

National and community service

Rural conditions and development

Student aid and college costs
Latest action: action_date: 2024-12-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-07-24
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill expands certain health professional programs and Medicare covered services to include physical therapists.</p><p>Specifically, the bill expands the National Health Service Corps to include physical therapists and provides for the designation of specific health professional target areas for physical therapists under the program. The bill also expands covered services of rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers under Medicare to include physical therapy services.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4829 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 24, 2023 Ms. DeGette (for herself and Mr. Armstrong ) 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 the Public Health Service Act to provide for the participation of physical therapists in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment program, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand Medicare Rural Health Clinic Services and Federally Qualified Health Center Services to include physical therapy services, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; findings (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2023 . (b) Findings Congress finds as follows: (1) Physical therapists play an important role in the prevention, treatment, or management of pain for individuals, including those with substance use disorders, or at risk of developing a substance use disorder. (2) Physical therapists are also playing an important role in the physical rehabilitation needs of individuals who have developed chronic health conditions as a result of COVID–19. (3) Physical therapist services are an essential component of the multidisciplinary undertaking that will be required to improve patient access and outcomes in medically underserved areas. 2. National Health Service Corps; participation of physical therapists in loan repayment program (a) Mission of corps; definition of primary health services Section 331(a)(3)(D) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254d(a)(3)(D) ) is amended by striking or mental health, and inserting mental health, or physical therapy, . (b) Physical therapy health professional target areas Section 332 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254e ) is amended by adding at the end: (l) Physical therapy health professional target areas (1) In general The Secretary shall carry out a program of— (A) identifying physical therapy health professional target areas; and (B) assigning members of the Corps who are physical therapists to such areas. (2) Applicable provisions The provisions of paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) of subsection (k) shall apply to the identification of physical therapy health professional target areas and the assignment of physical therapists under this subsection except that— (A) references to maternity care health professional target areas shall be treated as references to physical therapy health professional target areas; and (B) references to maternity care health professionals and maternity care shall be treated as references to physical therapists and physical therapy, respectively. . (c) Loan repayment program Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254l–1 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting physical therapists, after dentists, ; (2) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking (1)(A) have a degree in and all that follows through the end of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) and inserting the following: (1) (A) (i) have a degree in medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another health profession, or an appropriate degree from a graduate program of behavioral and mental health; (ii) be certified as a nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant; or (iii) have a doctoral or master’s degree in physical therapy; ; (B) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting physical therapy, after mental health, ; and (C) in paragraph (1)(C)(ii), by inserting physical therapy, after dentistry, ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (i) Eligibility To participate in other programs Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any health care professional who is eligible to participate in the program under this section from participating in any other loan repayment program established by the Secretary for which such professional is eligible. . 3. Expanding Medicare Rural Health Clinic Services and Federally Qualified Health Center Services to include physical therapy services (a) In general Section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) in subparagraph (C), by striking at the end and ; (B) in subparagraph (D), by adding and at the end; and (C) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph: (E) such physical therapy services (as defined in subsection (p)) furnished by a physical therapist, ; and (2) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking subparagraphs (A) through (D) and inserting subparagraphs (A) through (E) . (b) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to services furnished on or after January 1, 2025.