Alpha Lillstrom Cheng

Advocacy Opportunity:

Ask your lawmakers to cosponsor both the Prevent Interruptions inPhysical Therapy Act (S.2612/H.R.1611)which would enable all physical therapists to utilize locum tenens arrangements under Medicare and theEMPOWER Act (H.R.4878/S.2459) which would allow for general supervision of PTAs in all settings. We need your help making sure your legislator understands the necessity of continuity of therapy services as well as the impact these two bills would have on being able to keep your doors open, see patients, and remain a viable business and employer in your community.

Check out the one-pagers on the Advocacy page for more information onPrevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act (S.2612/H.R.1611)and theEMPOWER Act (H.R.4878/S.2459). For information on APTA Private Practice’s legislative priorities and recent advocacy activities, visit the Advocacy section at www.ppsapta.org

If you are on social media, tweet or create a facebook post tagging your legislator and #PTAdvocacy. TEMPLATE TWEET: “Prevent Interruptions to PT care. Cosponsor bipartisan bills S.2612/HR1611 and H.R.4878/S.2459. [@Representative/Senator Twitter handle] #PTAdvocacy” 

Thank you!  Your voice makes an impact.  Together we can make a difference.

TEMPLATE EMAIL:

Subject line: Continuity of care is key to physical therapy. Please cosponsor 2 bipartisan bills to ensure interrupted access to care

Dear Representative/Senator ____________,

I am a physical therapist in private practice and your constituent. __ percent of the patients I serve are Medicare beneficiaries.

On behalf of myself and APTA Private Practice, I’m asking you to cosponsor the Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act (S.2612/H.R.1611) and the EMPOWER Act (H.R.4878/S.2459). Both of these bipartisan bills would support physical therapists in private practice and protect Medicare beneficiary access to physical therapy.

The Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act would allow all physical therapists to be able to hire a qualified substitute on a short-term basis to ensure their patients have continued, uninterrupted access to care. Physical therapists are the only providers whose use of locum tenens is limited geographically. The need for locum tenens hinges upon the number of therapists who regularly work at a clinic and that clinic’s Medicare patient mix. When a therapist is not able to be at work, smaller clinics are unable to reshuffle the schedules of those therapists present to absorb the full Medicare beneficiary caseload—this results in delayed care as well as interruption in revenue flow for the small business.

The EMPOWER Act would allow for general supervision of physical therapist assistants in all practice settings where the state licensure laws allow for it—49 states allow for general supervision of physical therapist assistants in all settings. This change would enable physical therapists in private practice to expand their hours and ensure against having to cancel appointments for Medicare beneficiaries if the supervising physical therapist has to leave the building. 

[Include examples of how your practice and patient care have been impacted by either not being able to hire locum tenens or by the limitations of direct supervision.]

As your constituent, and a small business owner, I ask you to please cosponsor these non-controversial, bipartisan bills.

Thank you,

[Name, credentials]

Member, Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

[Practice Name]

[Practice Address]

[Practice phone number]