APTQI Applauds Introduction of S. 970 in the U.S.

Senate to Address Physical

Therapist Professional Shortage

Bipartisan bill would enable physical therapists to participate in the National Health Service Corps
student loan repayment program.

Washington, DC, April 03, 2019 --(PR.com)-- Today the Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and
Innovation (APTQI) commended a bipartisan trio of Senators for introducing a bill to provide for the
participation of physical therapists in the National Health Service Corps. The bill, filed in previous
sessions as the Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act, is designed to address the
significant shortage of physical therapists and physical therapy professionals relative to high demand for
PT services by allowing physical therapists to participate in the National Health Service Corps student
loan repayment program.

The bipartisan bill is sponsored by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Roger Wicker
(R-MS).

“We applaud the bipartisan support for expanding access to much-needed physical therapy services to
millions more Americans across the country—particularly in rural and high-need areas,” said
Nikesh Patel, PT, DPT, Executive Director of APTQI. “We thank Senators King, Tester, and Wicker for
their leadership in helping address the serious shortage of physical therapy professionals at a time when
demand for PT services is expected to grow even faster in the coming years.”

Estimates show that by 2025, an additional 27,000 PTs will be needed to meet demand for safe,
professional, and patient-preferred physical therapy services. This problem is particularly acute in rural
areas because many physical therapists are concentrated in major metropolitan areas. Many
community-based clinics are eager to invest in underserved communities if they had the resources to
recruit more PTs and expand care. S. 970 introduced today would expand access to care in rural and
high-need areas by incentivizing more medical professionals to enter the specialty.

The National Health Service Corps works to alleviate shortages of medical professionals around the
United States by offering student loan relief to medical professionals who commit to serve in a medically
underserved or designated health care professional shortage area. Participants would be eligible to receive
up to $50,000 towards their educational costs if they commit to working in a medically underserved or
designated health care professional shortage area. Participants would also be eligible to extend their
service to five years to receive up to $100,000 in student loan repayments.

Unfortunately, under current law, the NHSC loan repayment program does not allow physical to
participate, despite the fact that PTs can be vital in NHSC-approved sites like Critical Access Hospitals
(CAHs), private practices, and outpatient facilities. This makes it difficult for physical therapists to
deliver services and open much needed community-based PT centers in critically underserved markets.
Just as Congress is looking to expand the addiction treatment workforce, helping physical therapists enter
the profession is a vital way for helping communities address the nation's overreliance on powerful

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opioids. Enacting bipartisan legislation to address this issue is a crucial first step towards ensuring all
Americans, regardless of geographic location, are able to access quality physical therapy services.

“S. 970 would go a long way in helping physical therapists invest in underserved communities by
ensuring PT centers would have access to the professionals they need to properly serve underserved
communities,” added Mr. Patel. “We urge the Senate to pass this bipartisan legislation and look forward
to House introduction of this bill in the near future.”

About Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI)

The Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI) unites small, medium and large
physical therapy practices to advocate for the physical therapy profession in the areas of payment reform,
quality initiatives, outcomes and innovation projects. We are an aligned group of therapists and practices
who share a common vision for the future of our profession. Our goal is to establish physical therapy as
the treatment of choice and the best value for patients and payers.

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Contact Information:
Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation
Ellen Almond
703-548-0019
Contact via Email

Online Version of Press Release:

You can read the online version of this press release at: https://www.pr.com/press-release/781675

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