What's happening
This bill allows licensed occupational therapy assistants to treat workers' compensation injuries, but not to perform independent medical examinations.
Why it matters
Expands access to care for injured workers. by allowing occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) to provide treatment, which could help reduce wait times and improve recovery outcomes, especially in areas with shortages of licensed occupational therapists.
Maintains safeguards on medical evaluations. by specifically prohibiting OTAs from performing independent medical examinations, ensuring that only more highly trained professionals make determinations that could impact legal or financial outcomes for workers and employers.
Clarifies professional roles and supervision. within the workers' compensation system, aligning state law with current practice standards and potentially reducing administrative confusion for healthcare providers and employers.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let OT Assistants Treat Injuries
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- 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.
Let OT Assistants Treat Injuries
In Senate Committee · Labor · Sponsor Kenneth Zebrowski
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8743
IN SENATE
May 10, 2018
Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the workers' compensation law, in relation to authorizing treatment of workers' compensation injuries by an occupational therapy assistant
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (e) 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:
(e) Upon the prescription or referral of an authorized physician occupational therapy care may be rendered by a duly licensed occupational therapist or by a duly licensed occupational therapy assistant licensed by the state education department pursuant to article one hundred fifty-six of the education law. Where occupational 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 occupational therapist and physician. Said records shall be submitted to the chair on forms and at such times as the chair may require. A duly licensed occupational therapy 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.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04628-06-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the workers' compensation law, in relation to authoriz- ing treatment of workers' compensation injuries by an occupational ther- apy assistant
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill allows occupational therapist assistants to provide care to workers' compensation patients.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill amends paragraph a of subdivision 1 of section 13-b of the workers' compensation law as it relates to allowing occupa- tional therapy assistants to provide care to workers' compensation patients.
Section two of the bill relates to the effective date.
Difference between original and amended version (if applicable)
Clarifies that a duly licensed occupational therapy assistant shall not be authorized to perform an independent medical examination.
Justification
Occupational therapy assistants provide a valuable service. They prac- tice under the direction and supervision of a licensed occupational therapist or licensed physician and must meet stringent educational and experience requirements in order to be licensed by the State Education Department. Unfortunately, workers' compensation patients cannot receive care from an occupational therapy assistant. This bill would allow workers' compensation patients to receive care from an occupational therapy assistant that is licensed by the State Education Department.
Legislative history
A.1670 of 2015-16, A.7980 of 2013-2014.
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.