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Use templated letters to take action on payment and regulatory issues impacting your practice.
APTA comments are made on behalf of our membership and profession on federal regulations and draft guidance based on the Public Policy Priorities of the American Physical Therapy Association.
We encourage members and nonmembers to provide feedback: Your perspectives are critical to policy development. APTA has developed tools to help you easily draft a personalized comment letter using APTA's comment letter guide. Alternatively, you can use one of our prewritten template letters to submit comments.
Current Opportunities
CMS FY 2026 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Proposed Rule
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the fiscal year 2026 inpatient rehabilitation facility proposed rule, which estimates a 2.6% payment update. To reduce the burden of filling out the IRF-PAI, CMS asks for comments on removing measures, seeks input on how to implement “skip patterns” for unplanned discharges, and inquiries on the need for a pediatric IRF-PAI. In the Quality Reporting Program, CMS proposes the removal of the four new social determinants of health items, expresses interest in interoperability, well-being, nutrition, and delirium as concepts for future measure development, and seeks feedback on advancing digital quality measures in post-acute care settings. In the IRF setting, the agency also proposed the removal of both the “COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage among Healthcare Personnel” measure and the “Percent of Patients/Residents Who Are Up to Date” measure, beginning with the FY 2026 IRF Quality Reporting Program. APTA will file comments by the June 10 deadline.
Relevant Documents: Review Proposed Rule | Review Fact Sheet
Deadline for Comments: June 10, 2025
CMS FY 2026 Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed Rule
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the fiscal year 2026 skilled nursing facility proposed rule, which provides a 2.8% payment increase. In the Quality Reporting Program, CMS proposes the removal of the four new social determinants of health items, expresses interest in interoperability, well-being, nutrition, and delirium as concepts for future measure development, and seeks feedback on advancing digital quality measures in post-acute care settings. In the Value-Based Purchasing Program, the agency proposes the removal of the Health Equity Adjustment, seeks to create uniform scoring methodologies across the existing measures, and proposes a new reconsideration request process. APTA will file comments by the June 30 deadline.
Relevant Documents: Review Proposed Rule | Review Fact Sheet
Deadline for Comments: June 30, 2025
General Template Letter
If a specific template letter above does not apply, use our standard template letter to submit comments.
Simply insert your individual information where indicated.
Your comments represent only you and your situation; they should not imply representation of the association.
Other Ways to Engage
Federal agencies frequently seek input from stakeholders and national experts on proposed payment and coverage policies, research agendas, quality measures, and more. The selection process for federal committees, task forces, panels, and commissions is competitive.
Participation in these groups demonstrates both expertise in your field and a commitment to your profession, which will be reflected on your CV for years to come. Serving on such a committee allows you to make invaluable contributions to your area of expertise and raise recognition of the physical therapy profession. While serving requires a small time commitment, the time is well spent and is a great way to develop networks and make contacts with fellow experts from across the nation.
If you are interested in serving on a federal committee, task force, or advisory panel, please contact the APTA Advocacy team and provide your name, contact information, and a brief biographical sketch.