NEW LAW ALLOWS NEW YORKERS TO GO DIRECTLY TO A PHYSICAL THERAPIST WITHOUT A PHYSICIAN REFERRAL.

Patients in New York who need physical therapy can now go directly to their physical therapist without having to wait to receive a referral from a physician, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has announced.
New York is the 43rd state to pass "direct access" legislation that eliminates, under certain conditions, the physician referral requirement for patients needing physical therapist services. The Consumer Access to Physical Therapy bill, S3169/A5622, passed the legislature with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor George E Pataki. This bill allows patients to directly access the services of a licensed physical therapist for ten visits or thirty days, whichever comes first.
"Physical therapists have been working with the state legislature to achieve direct access for patients for nearly 25 years. Now patients in New York, like patients in many other states, will have improved access to physical therapist care. This bill is a thoughtful piece of legislation with patient safety taking the highest priority," said James Dunleavy, PT, MS, president of the New York Physical Therapy Association (NYPTA).