We Need Your Stories!
Share how locum tenens limitations have affected your practice Deadline: September 10th
Please send a brief example (no more than 200 words) of how your practice and patient care has been impacted when you or one of your colleagues has been unable to hire a qualified substitute (locum tenens) to provide care when you are unavoidably absent because of illness, pregnancy, continuing education, and more. 
   
 
Dear Members,
 
In order to prepare for Congressional action on locum tenens, PPS needs anecdotes illustrating how the inability to use locum tenens impacts patient care as well as the effect it has on the PTs themselves as small business owners.  Our goal is to have at least one story from each state submitted by September 10th.  Please send PPS Lobbyist Alpha Lillstrom (alpha@lillstrom.com ) a brief (up to 200 words) example of how your practice and patient care has been impacted when you or one of your colleagues has been unable to hire a qualified substitute (locum tenens) to provide care when you are unavoidably absent because of illness, pregnancy, continuing education, and more. 

In the past, these stories have been quoted by Members of Congress during debates on the issue.  Your contributions to this effort can make an important impact.
 
BACKGROUND:
The Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act (H.R.556/S.313) would add physical therapists to the list of providers allowed to utilize locum tenens arrangements under Medicare.   In June 2015, the Senate Finance Committee passed a version of the bill that only applied to physical therapists practicing in rural and medically underserved areas.  Last November, the Energy & Commerce (E&C) Health Subcommittee held a hearing on the issue where PPS Board Member Sandra Norby testified as to why physical therapists should be allowed to use locum tenens to ensure continued access to care. 

We are optimistic that the E&C Health Subcommittee will evaluate and "mark-up" a locum tenens bill in September that will allow for PTs practicing in clinics with fewer than 8 PTs to hire qualified substitutes.
 
The Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act currently has 103 cosponsors in the House and 32 cosponsors in the Senate .
 
We thank you for your participation in this important advocacy effort.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
The Private Practice Section, APTA