Bill > S01717

This bill amends the New York education law to remove previous restrictions on physical therapists providing treatment without a physician referral. Specifically, the bill eliminates the previous limit of ten visits or thirty days of treatment without a referral and removes the requirement that a physical therapist must have at least three years of full-time practice experience to provide such treatment. Instead, the bill establishes new requirements for physical therapists treating patients without a referral: they must refer patients to an appropriate licensed professional if symptoms suggest the treatment is contraindicated or outside the scope of physical therapy, communicate with the patient's primary care provider during treatment, and provide written notice to patients that their health insurance may not cover the treatment without a referral. The physical therapist must also keep a signed form in the patient's records confirming that the patient was informed about potential insurance implications. The bill will take effect 180 days after becoming law, allowing time for regulatory preparations and implementation.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1717