A 983: Removes limits on the duration of treatment by a licensed physical therapist when a patient does not have a referral.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 983 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. CLARK, BUTTENSCHON, LUPARDO, ROSENTHAL, SAYEGH, REILLY, KELLES, SHIMSKY, SIMON, STECK, McMAHON, BENDETT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education 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 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision d of section 6731 of the education law, as 2 amended by chapter 389 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as 3 follows: 4 d. Such treatment may be rendered by a licensed physical therapist 5 [for ten visits or thirty days, whichever shall occur first,] without a 6 referral from a physician, dentist, podiatrist, nurse practitioner or 7 licensed midwife provided that: 8 (1) [The licensed physical therapist has practiced physical therapy on 9 a full time basis equivalent to not less than three years.] The physical 10 therapist will refer the patient to the appropriate licensed profes- 11 sional if symptoms are present of which physical therapy is contraindi- 12 cated or which symptoms are indicative of conditions for which treatment 13 is outside the scope of the practice of physical therapy; 14 (2) If the patient has a primary care licensed provider or other 15 treating physician, the physical therapist provides ongoing communi- 16 cation with that professional during the course of treatment; and 17 (3) Each physical therapist licensed pursuant to this article shall 18 provide written notice to each patient receiving treatment absent a 19 referral from a physician, dentist, podiatrist, nurse practitioner or 20 licensed midwife that physical therapy may not be covered by the 21 patient's health care plan or insurer without such a referral and that 22 such treatment may be a covered expense if rendered pursuant to a refer- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02603-01-5 
 A. 983 2 1 ral. The physical therapist shall keep on file with the patient's 2 records a form attesting to the patient's notice of such advice. Such 3 form shall be in duplicate, with one copy to be retained by the patient, 4 signed and dated by both the physical therapist and the patient in such 5 form as prescribed pursuant to regulations promulgated by the commis- 6 sioner. 7 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 8 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend- 9 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen- 10 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to 11 be made and completed on or before such effective date.