NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7873
SPONSOR: Zebrowski TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the education law, in relation to
removing limits on the duration of treatment by a licensed physical
therapist when a patient does not have a referral
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF THE BILL:
To amend the physical therapy practice act to better align with stand-
ards of best practice
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends subdivision (d) of section 6731 of the education law to
remove arbitrary limitations, which impede the delivery of quality
health care and replace them with physical therapy standards of best
practice.
Section 2 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Physical therapy is an integral part of New York's health care system.
Physical therapists treat and rehabilitate a broad range of neuromuscu-
loskeletal injuries and disease. All New York physical therapy educa-
tional programs require a doctoral degree. Physical therapists are
trained extensively in the evaluation of a patient's condition and
recognize those symptoms that require treatment by another provider.
In 2006, the physical therapy practice act was amended to permit phys-
ical therapists to treat patients without a referral with the limitation
that the treatment may only last ten days or thirty days. The limita-
tion, however, has interfered with appropriate and effective care in
certain instances leading to unnecessary gaps in care and impeding
recovery.
The bill would address the unintended consequences of the arbitrary and
inflexible limitation by replacing it with physical therapy standards of
best practice. First, the treating physical therapist must refer a
patient to an appropriate health care provider if physical therapy is
contra-indicated for the condition or if symptoms present which indicate
a condition outside the scope of physical therapy. Second, the treating
physical therapy must provide ongoing communication with the patient's
primary care provider, if one exists, which will better coordinate care.
These requirements better reflect quality health care standards and will
address the negative impacts of the existing limitation on treatment
without a referral.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days after enactment.
