New Texas Law Offers Patients Direct Access to Physical Therapy Starting September 1
AUSTIN, Texas (PRWEB) August 30, 2019 -- As of September 1, Texans can visit a physical therapist for treatment without a physician’s referral. Texas’ new Direct Access bill, HB 29, has been signed by Governor Greg Abbott and goes into effect September 1, 2019, making Texas the 49th state to pass direct access legislation.
Until now, Texas was one of only two states that did not allow physical therapists to treat patients without a doctor’s order. This new law removes that barrier, allowing patients to bypass long wait times and costly and unnecessary visits to a physician and go directly to a physical therapist (PT) to get the care they need.
Texas Physical Therapy Specialists (TexPTS), with 30 physical therapy clinics across the state, hails the new law as a long-overdue change to the way Texas patients can access care.
“We have been working to remove barriers that make it difficult for patients to access their physical therapist for a long time. We are thrilled the legislature is helping by making direct access to physical therapists the law,” said David Browder, Chief Executive Officer of Texas Physical Therapy Specialists. “We know that early access to physical therapy is important to decreasing the length and severity of many musculoskeletal injuries.”
Many conditions can be resolved with the combination of hands-on treatment and exercise a physical therapist provides. With this new law, patients can avoid appointments with multiple medical providers, long waits and unnecessary costs. Physical therapists are highly trained in identifying conditions that might need further evaluation or medical treatment and will be able to help patients determine whether they might need to see their primary care physician.
According to a study by Health Services Research, total health care costs for patients who had early access to physical therapy were less than half the total costs paid by those who waited three months to a year to visit a PT.
There are stipulations to the law, so patients should ask their local physical therapist for more details on what is covered and not covered under the new bill. Below are some highlights:
HB 29 amends provisions of Section 453.301, Occupations Code (PT Practice Act) that includes:
- Treatment without a referral for up to ten (10) consecutive business days for a physical therapist with a doctoral degree in physical therapy or who has completed a minimum of thirty (30) continuing competence activities in the area of differential diagnosis.
- Additionally, a PT with a doctoral degree in physical therapy who has completed a residency or fellowship can treat for up to fifteen (15) consecutive business days without a referral.
- Stipulations on treatment without a referral are the PT must have been licensed to practice physical therapy for at least one (1) year and must be covered by professional liability insurance.
- Before treatment can exceed the authorized number of days, a referral must be obtained from a qualified healthcare practitioner.
Early physical therapy helps patients feel better sooner and reduces the odds of needing surgery, imaging and pain meds. This is particularly important now with the opioid crisis the U.S. is facing.
“Patients who see a physical therapist as a first point of care have been shown to be much less likely to be prescribed an opioid for their problem or need other costly and invasive procedures. This law helps patients choose PT over pills,” said Browder.
With HB 29 in effect, TexPTS looks forward to being the best first choice for patients in Texas.
About Texas Physical Therapy Specialists (TexPTS):
Texas Physical Therapy Specialists is a locally owned private physical therapy practice with locations throughout central Texas: Austin, Bulverde, Cibolo, Central Texas, Dallas, Georgetown, Hill County, Liberty Hill, Live Oak, Randolph Air Force Base, New Braunfels, Parmer/Pflugerville, Round Rock, San Antonio, San Marcos, Schertz, Selma, Spring Branch, and Universal City. Our clinicians have a have a wide range of clinical expertise in manual physical therapy, spine care and rehabilitation, general orthopaedic conditions and rehabilitation, sports specific injuries, workplace injuries, metabolic conditions, and more. Since the company began in 2004,TexPTS has been voted Top 50 Places to Work in San Antonio three times by their own employees, the Best Private Physical Therapy Practice in the U.S. by their peers in the American Physical Therapy Association, and has appeared on the Inc. 500/5000 lists three times. For more information visit TexPTS.com or the TexPTS Facebook page.
Jennifer Williams, TexPTS, https://www.texpts.com, +1 919.459.3592, [email protected]
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