Tell Congress, states, and payers to expand the use of physical therapy via telehealth!

Our advocacy efforts were effective in securing coverage of telehealth services furnished by PTs and PTAs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The tools APTA developed to support those efforts have been used by many providers. Now it's time to advocate for continued access to telehealth services beyond the public health emergency.

On the federal legislative front, APTA urges Congress to pass the bipartisan Expanded Telehealth Access Act (H.R. 2168) which specifically lists PTs and PTAs as practitioners of telehealth under Medicare. This would permanently expand telehealth access to therapy patients after the Public Health Emergency ends.  

The APTA Legislative Action Center provides a templated letter that members can use to tell Congress to implement H.R. 2168 to increase rehabilitation services via telehealth and ensure economic stability for the health care system. Patients and non-members can find a similar templated letter and more information on APTA's Patient Action Center.

At the state level, APTA has created a template letter anyone can use to advocate to your governor and state legislators to support legislation or regulations that would permanently allow physical therapy providers to use telehealth, and would require coverage and payment for those services under Medicaid, worker’s compensation, and commercial plans. Instructions are included at the top of the letter.

Relative to private payers, APTA has created two template letters anyone can use to advocate for permanent adoption of coverage of telehealth services furnished by PTs and PTAs, to ensure that patients continue to have access to the rehabilitative care they need after the COVID-19 public health emergency. One letter is for you to send to payers, and the other is for you to share with your patients to send to their employer or insurer. Instructions are included at the top of each letter.

• PT template letter to payers: PTs, PTAs, and students can use this letter to contact private payers, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid (fee for service and MCOs).
• Patient template letter to payers: Individuals can use this letter to contact private payers, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid (fee for service and MCOs).