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Panel advances bill removing 30‑day referral requirement for physical therapy
Summary
House Bill 38 87 would remove a 30‑day referral requirement for continuing physical therapy; sponsor said therapists would refer patients back to a physician if there is no improvement. A member raised a patient‑safety anecdote; the committee passed the bill after discussion.
Representative Cantrell presented House Bill 38 87, which removes the statutory requirement that a referring provider be provided every 30 days to continue physical therapy. Cantrell said a physical therapist would refer a patient back to a physician "if the physical therapist finds reason within his scope that this physical therapy is not repairing whatever the ailment is." She told members she would be "amenable for conversations after this" to consider a longer timeline than 30 days.
A member recounted a case of a 16‑year‑old with knee pain who was later diagnosed with bone cancer and died, saying the member was concerned that repeated 30‑day delays without imaging or further testing could miss serious conditions. Cantrell responded that federal Medicare rules permit 90‑day intervals and said she would work with colleagues on possible amendments.
After discussion and an offer to continue conversations about timeline language, the committee moved, voted and the chair declared the bill passed in committee. The transcript includes an inconsistent early tally announcement and a later declaration of passage; the committee record should be checked for the official roll call.
