Report on Bipartisan Therapy Bill ‘SMART Act’ Paves the Way for Congressional Action
SMART Act study suggests Medicare could save between $168 million and $242 million over 10 years by reducing admin burdens on PTs and OTs.
Category: Regulation
Regulation
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Regulation
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Paycheck Protection Program Changes Pass Senate; On Way to President’s Desk
The U.S. Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program is likely to become more flexible for small business owners, thanks to a set of changes that will expand how PPP funds can be used and will extend deadlines for repayment, among other provisions, APTA reports.
Regulation
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Bipartisan Legislation Protecting Sports Medicine Providers Signed Into Law
The Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act, a bipartisan solution aimed at protecting team physicians, athletic trainers, and other sports medicine providers while they travel across state lines with their teams, was signed into law on Friday, October 5.
Congress OKs Reintroduced Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act
The US House of Representatives has passed the recently reintroduced Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act of 2017 (HR 302) via voice vote on January 9.
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Stricter Pitch Count Regulations Approved for Illinois High School Athletes
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors voted recently to lower the pitch count a high school athlete in Illinois could throw per game.
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Governor Vetoes Physical Therapist Assistant Legislation
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently vetoed S2718A/A2116A, legislation that, if passed, would have allowed physical therapist assistants (PTAs) to participate in the care of workers’ compensation patients.
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Stroke, Neuro, and CRT Patients to Benefit: 21st Century Cures Act Passes
The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) has released a statement to the press congratulating the House of Representatives for passing the 21st Century Cures Act.
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Advanced Beneficiary Notices and the Medicare Program: Recent Updates
If you provide Medicare Part B fee-for-service care, are about to deliver services that exceed the therapy cap, or offer cash-pay services to Medicare patients the Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) could be vital in successfully collecting for services. Get the details in this exclusive podcast with John Wallace, PT, CEO, BMS Practice Solutions.
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Private Practice Problem Solver: Empower Community
The crushing schedule of many private practice owners can make professional networking difficult. Sturdy McKee, MPT, CEO of San Francisco Sport and Spine Physical Therapy, pulls back the curtain on an online resource where private practices can conveniently tap into knowledge that will power solutions for business development and practice management, as well as navigate healthcare changes.
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Call to Regulate Pitch Counts Comes Amid Stark Rise in High School Injuries
In response to a rising epidemic of shoulder and elbow injuries among high school pitchers, sports medicine physicians at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR) are calling for all states to regulate pitch counts.
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A Clear View of Cloud Computing
Time has tested the first generation of data systems hosted online, providing perspective about how they have met the challenges of an evolving environment. This roundtable discussion with software industry manufacturers reveals the hits and misses of cloud computing solutions, and strategies aimed at keeping patient data secure.
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Proposed Rule Enabling PTs to Perform Dry Needling Spurs Debate with Acupuncturists
A proposed legal rule enabling trained physical therapists to perform trigger point dry needling therapy recently spurred debate between PTs and acupuncturists.
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Study: Patients Benefit from Direct Access to Physical Therapy
Neuromuscular patients who received physical therapy treatment immediately at an urgent care center underwent fewer tests and procedures, and therefore had significantly lower healthcare costs, compared to patients who were referred to physical therapists for a separate visit, according to recent research.
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Study Calls for Additional UK Regulation of THR devices
A University of Warwick study recommends more UK compulsory regulation of devices used in hip replacements to reduce the need for additional potentially traumatic and costly surgery, according to a university news release.
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Reintroduced Concussion Bill Recognizes PTs in Return-to-Play Decisions
A recent news release from the APTA highlights the reintroduction of legislation in the US Senate and House of Representatives recognizing the ability of PTs to make return-to-play decisions for youth sports participants.
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Legislation Aimed at Post Acute Care Data Reform Passed in House, Senate
The Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act, which is legislation with a focus on standardizing post-acute care data, has passed in both the United States House and Senate.
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Legislative Campaign to Begin in 2025 for Shift to DPT as State Licensure Designation
The House of Delegates of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) have voted to adopt an position that supports a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree as the profession’s entry level educational degree and the regulatory designation PT licensees are legally allowed to use to denote state licensure.
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New Senate Bill Aims to Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Care for Medicare Patients
A newly introduced Senate bill, the Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act (HR 3426/S.2818), would allow physical therapists in private practice to provide Medicare patients continuity of care in the absence of the physical therapist.
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