This bill ensures Medicare patients can continue receiving physical therapy services without interruption by allowing temporary substitute therapists ("locum tenens") to be covered when a physical therapist is temporarily unavailable.
Gus Bilirakis
Representative
FL-12
The "Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2025" ensures Medicare beneficiaries can continue receiving uninterrupted physical therapy services. It allows physical therapists to utilize temporary staffing arrangements, known as "locum tenens," when the regular therapist is temporarily unavailable. This ensures Medicare payments for services provided by qualified substitute physical therapists, maintaining consistent care for patients.
Medicare Patients Can Keep Getting Physical Therapy Even When Their PT is Out, Thanks to New Bill
The "Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2025" is pretty much what it sounds like. It makes a key change to how Medicare handles physical therapy, letting therapists use qualified substitutes when they need to be out of the office. Think of it like having a substitute teacher, but for your aching back.
Keeping Your Therapy on Track
This bill addresses a real-world problem: what happens when your physical therapist gets sick, goes on vacation, or has a family emergency? Previously, Medicare wouldn't cover a fill-in therapist. This new law changes that, allowing "locum tenens" – basically, temporary healthcare workers – to step in and provide treatment, and Medicare will cover it. This goes into effect as soon as the bill is enacted (SEC. 2).
Real-World Benefits
Imagine you're recovering from knee surgery and rely on regular physical therapy. If your therapist has an unexpected absence, this bill ensures you can still see a qualified professional and keep your recovery on schedule. Or, if you're a physical therapist running a small practice, this allows you to take a much-needed vacation without leaving your patients in the lurch.
It could also be a win for people in rural areas. If your town has only one PT, this change means you won’t have to travel miles for treatment if they’re temporarily unavailable.
Smooth Sailing?
While the bill aims to make things easier for patients and therapists, there are always practical details to iron out. For example, there needs to be a system to make sure these temporary therapists are properly qualified and that billing is handled correctly. It’s like making sure the substitute teacher knows the curriculum. But overall, this change is designed to keep things flowing smoothly for everyone involved.