Public policy is the system of laws, regulations, action plans and funding priorities adopted by federal and local governing bodies. Advocacy is the process undertaken to provide education for policy makers with the goal of shaping policy for the common good. Consistent with APTA’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, the Hand Academy recognizes our professional responsibility to educate policy makers to ensure equal access to our services, fair reimbursement for those services and protect our profession.
Legislation Excepting Orthoses From Reasonable Useful Lifetime Limits
HUE sponsored legislation to exempt custom fabricated and custom fit orthoses from the Reasonable Useful Lifetime statute has been reintroduced in both Houses. HR 4475/ S 2329 “The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetic Patient-Centered Care Act” has been referred to the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees and the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration. HUE has proposed some changes to the legislation that have been sent to APTA and AOTA and we are hopeful these changes will be adopted in committee. While not included in the APTA Legislative Action Center yet, your help is needed to reach out to your legislators and ask them to co-sponsor this important legislation! Contact [email protected] for help contacting your legislators.
CMS is accepting comments on the proposed fee schedule for 2026. Comments must be submitted by September 12, 2025 for consideration. This is your chance to advocate for a permanent fix to the Medicare Fee Schedule including inflation updates. APTA has guidance for submitting your comments here: Comment on Medicare 2026 Proposed Fee Schedule.
Legislation has been introduced in the House: HR 1171 and Senate: S 2612, which expands access to falls screening and prevention under the Medicare program. This coincides with Falls Prevention Awareness Week: September 22-26. APTA is planning its Flash Action Strategy to build on the Safe Act. The event kicks off on September 16 at 8:00 pm ET and continues through September 18.
CMS adopted APTA’s proposed change to PTA supervision requirements for outpatient physical therapy practices. PTAs will now be under general supervision in all practice settings in the 49 states already allowing general supervision of PTAs in all settings.
The APTA Federal Executive Order Resource Center is now available on the APTA Community: Executive Order Resource Center. APTA has created a tracking chart for Executive Orders and corresponding Judicial Issues/Actions that will be updated weekly.
APTA and the Private Practice Section have developed payment advocacy tools to help providers address the growing administrative burden due to utilization management practices, the use of AI algorithms for treatment eligibility decisions, denials for long Covid therapy intervention and other barriers to care access. Details are available here: State Payment Advocacy Tools
The APTA Advocacy Network keeps APTA member advocates connected and engaged. Members participate for free and receive special legislative updates and action alerts when we need your voice. https://www.apta.org/advocacy/apta-advocacy-network
Consider donating to the APTA PAC! Your contribution helps staff further APTA’s goals for payment, administrative burden reduction and patient access to our services. PT PAC