118 HR 4829 IH: Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2023
U.S. House of Representatives
2023-07-24
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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.