APTQI Applauds Legislation to Extend the Use of Locum Tenens Arrangements

Disruptions in care when a patient’s primary physical therapist is unavailable can cause delays in rehabilitative care and recovery. Currently, Medicare only pays for services provided by a substitute physical therapist if the population served is rural, medically underserved, or in a health professional shortage area.

Arrangements known as ‘locum tenens’ by Medicare allow for a substitute physician or physical therapist to provide services in place of the regular provider. This aims to ensure that patients can receive quality care during a temporary provider absence, while their regular provider is still able to bill Medicare for the services provided to Medicare Part B beneficiaries. This helps ensure administrative and billing efficiency, as well as uninterrupted care for Medicare beneficiaries. However, since these locum tenens arrangements are currently limited to specific geographic areas, patients nationwide often experience irregular or inaccessible physical therapy services, and many therapists are reluctant to take time off due to fear of leaving their patients without care.

To address these challenges, Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) and Paul Tonko (NY-20) introduced the Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2025 (H.R. 1517), which would allow physical therapists to receive Medicare payment for services provided to their patients by another therapist through a qualifying temporary arrangement, regardless of the population served. If passed, this legislation would extend the use of locum tenens arrangements to all physical therapists in the outpatient setting who participate in the Medicare program, regardless of geographical area.

APTQI commends Reps. Bilirakis and Tonko for recognizing the importance of consistent access to physical and occupational therapy, as well as the need for policies to eliminate interruptions in delivering high-quality physical therapy care.

Companion legislation in the Senate, S. 2225, sponsored by Senators Ben Lujan (D-NM), John Boozman (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), would also amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to add physical therapists to the list of providers who can utilize locum tenens arrangements under Medicare, extending a benefit to therapists that many physicians already have.

APTQI strongly supports this legislation to prevent delays and disruptions in patient care.

To urge your lawmakers to support H.R. 1517/S.2225, CLICK HERE.