House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

Posted:	June 7, 2023 12:37 PM
From:	Representative Pat Gallagher
To:	All House members
Subject:	Expanding Direct Access to Physical Therapy

Physical therapy provides patients with intensive treatment that results in faster and longer-lasting recoveries for patients. Direct access to physical therapy is essential for individuals who do not have the time and/or money to see their primary care physician for a referral before receiving treatment. Currently, physical therapists may treat patients without a referral from their licensed physician for up to 30 days after the first treatment was given. In most cases, there is no need for an individual to see a primary care physician before seeing a physical therapist, so making an additional trip for a referral prior to the 30-day timeframe is unnecessary and time-consuming. I plan to introduce legislation to timeframe this deadline from 30 to 60 days to save individuals’ valuable time and money. This change gives individuals longer direct access to physical therapy, during which many of their issues may be solved. The legislation also removes a redundant and unnecessary certificate of authorization to practice physical therapy without a referral from a physician. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to benefit individuals with greater access to physical therapy treatments and eliminate an additional hurdle to practice physical therapy.
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Introduced as HB1491