APTQI Commends Bipartisan Lawmakers for Introducing REDUCE Act to Cut Back on Administrative Burden on Physical Therapists

Washington, D.C. – The Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation today commended Reps. Don Davis (NC-01) and Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) for introducing the Remove Duplicative Unnecessary Clerical Exchanges (REDUCE) Act (H.R. 7279). If passed, the bipartisan bill would significantly reduce redundant and burdensome paperwork requirements imposed on physical and occupational therapists under Medicare.

Specifically, the bill would remove the requirement for physical and occupational therapists to secure physician signature on each patient’s unique plan of care if patient already has a signed referral. Under current Medicare regulations, physical and occupational therapists often wait weeks and spend hours of non-clinical time tracking down duplicative signatures. Meanwhile, the therapist risks not being reimbursed if the referring physician fails to sign the patient’s plan of care.

“This bill is a huge step toward alleviating the heavy administrative burden on physical and occupational therapists,” said Nikesh Patel, PT, Executive Director of APTQI. “PTs and OTs are highly-trained and experienced providers who know what’s best for their patients – and paperwork should never get in the way of that. I thank Reps. Davis and Smucker for introducing this bill to ensure that therapists can receive timely reimbursement and continue to treat senior patients without delay or unwarranted administrative obstacles.”

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