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A2859Assembly2017-2018 SessionSame asS3762

Let Assistants Give Therapy

Official title

“Permits an authorized physician to direct that physical therapy care may be rendered by a duly licensed physical therapist assistant”

Sponsor Kenneth ZebrowskiAD-96+25 co-sponsorsAffects Economy
Status
Vetoed
Impact
5/10
Moderate
Outcome
Vetoed

Bill progress

Vetoed

What's happening

This bill allows certified physical therapist assistants to provide care under supervision within the workers' compensation system and sets related requirements.

Why it matters

  1. Expands the pool of care providers. by allowing certified physical therapist assistants (PTAs) to deliver physical therapy services to injured workers, potentially improving access and reducing wait times for care.

  2. Ensures quality and accountability. through requirements that PTAs work under the supervision of licensed physical therapists and that all PTA treatment notes are co-signed by the supervising therapist.

  3. Aligns with professional standards. by mandating that both physical therapists and PTAs follow the rules established in the education law, and by excluding PTAs from conducting independent medical examinations, which preserves critical decision-making roles for higher-credentialed professionals.

  4. May affect billing and reimbursement. within the workers' compensation system, as the bill directs the board to determine and implement appropriate service code modifiers depending on whether a physical therapist or a PTA provides the care, potentially impacting provider compensation and system costs.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Let Assistants Give Therapy

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Kenneth Zebrowski

Assembly Member · Assembly District 96

History

  1. Tabled
  2. Vetoed memo.175
  3. Delivered to governor
  4. Returned to assembly
  5. Passed senateVote 61–1
  6. 3rd reading cal.1872
  7. Substituted for S3762B
  8. Referred to rules
  9. Delivered to senate
  10. Passed assembly
  11. Ordered to third reading rules cal.283
  12. Rules report cal.283
Show 6 earlier actions
  1. Reported
  2. Amend and recommit to rules 2859b
  3. Reported referred to rules
  4. Print number 2859a
  5. Amend and recommit to labor
  6. Referred to labor

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

S3762Senate

Allow PT Assistants Treat Patients

Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Joseph A. Griffo

Impact 5 · Moderate0% to pass

Full text

2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

2859--B

2017-2018 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

January 23, 2017

Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, BENEDETTO, COLTON, WEPRIN, RYAN, MAGNARELLI, ROSENTHAL, LIFTON, STIRPE, OTIS, CYMBROWITZ, JOHNS, BLANK- ENBUSH, CAHILL, BRABENEC, BUCHWALD, TITONE, GOTTFRIED, MOYA, CASTORI- NA, LALOR, MALLIOTAKIS, SEPULVEDA, HUNTER, LENTOL,… Show all

Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, BENEDETTO, COLTON, WEPRIN, RYAN, MAGNARELLI, ROSENTHAL, LIFTON, STIRPE, OTIS, CYMBROWITZ, JOHNS, BLANK- ENBUSH, CAHILL, BRABENEC, BUCHWALD, TITONE, GOTTFRIED, MOYA, CASTORI- NA, LALOR, MALLIOTAKIS, SEPULVEDA, HUNTER, LENTOL, AUBRY, PALMESANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, ABINANTI, ARROYO, CROUCH, DILAN, DINOWITZ, GOODELL, HAWLEY, HEVESI, JENNE, LAWRENCE, LOPEZ, LUPARDO, LUPINACCI, McDONALD, McDONOUGH, McKEVITT, McLAUGHLIN, MURRAY, RA, RAIA, RIVERA, SIMON, THIELE, WALTER, WOERNER, WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the workers' compensation law, in relation to physical therapy care provided through the workers' compensation system

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of section 13-b of the workers' compensation law, as amended by chapter 473 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:

(d) Upon the referral which may be directive as to treatment of an authorized physician physical therapy care may be rendered by a duly licensed physical therapist or by a certified physical therapist assistant, provided that a certified physical therapist assistant shall work under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist performing such patient related activities as are assigned by the supervising physical therapist pursuant to article one hundred thirty-six of the education law. Where physical therapy care is rendered records of the patient's condition and progress, together with records of instruction for treatment, if any, shall be maintained by the physical therapist and physician. Physical therapists must co-sign physical therapist assistant treatment notes. Said records shall be submitted to the chair on such

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD07797-06-7

A. 2859--B 2

forms and at such times as the chair may require. Care provided by a licensed physical therapist or a certified physical therapist assistant shall be in accordance with article one hundred thirty-six of the education law. The chair, in consultation with the board's medical director, shall review physical therapy service codes to determine the appropriateness of modifiers, if any, based on the practitioner rendering the service and shall implement modifiers as appropriate. A certified physical therapist assistant shall not be authorized to perform independent medical examinations.

§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.