Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2021

Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2021

This bill makes physical therapists eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. This program assists primary care, mental health, and dental providers in repaying eligible student loans in exchange for working in areas with shortages of such providers.

Bill 117 HR 3759, also known as the Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2021, aims to address the shortage of physical therapists in the United States and improve patient access to physical therapy services. The bill seeks to achieve this by increasing the number of physical therapy education programs, expanding scholarships and loan repayment programs for physical therapy students, and promoting diversity in the physical therapy workforce.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions to enhance the role of physical therapists in providing care to patients, such as allowing physical therapists to provide certain services without a physician referral and expanding telehealth services for physical therapy. The bill also aims to improve access to physical therapy services for underserved populations, including rural and low-income communities.

Overall, the Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2021 seeks to address the growing demand for physical therapy services in the United States by increasing the number of qualified physical therapists and improving access to care for all patients.