Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2021

Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2021

This bill allows a physical therapist to receive payment under Medicare for services provided to the physical therapist's patients by another physical therapist through a qualifying temporary arrangement, regardless of the geographic area or population served. Currently, physical therapists may only receive payment with respect to such arrangements for services provided in medically underserved, rural, or health professional shortage areas.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1611 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1611

    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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2021

  Mr. Bilirakis (for himself and Mr. Tonko) 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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Prevent Interruptions in Physical 
Therapy Act of 2021''.

SEC. 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 by striking ``, 
and (J)'' and all that follows through ``physicians' services furnished 
by physicians.'' and inserting ``, and (J) 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 amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to items and services furnished after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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