Page 20 - OPTA Access Fall 2022

State Affairs Committee Report Dr. Anthony DiFilippo, PT, DPT - Chair
The committee has also been working on issues related to access to physical therapist services.
The State Affairs Committee continues to stay busy. After the successful passage of a bill to make needed updates to our state’s practice act and telehealth services, the committee has turned to other issues affecting access and barriers to physical therapists’ services.
THE COMMITTEE HAS ALSO BEEN WORKING ON
I S S U E S R E LAT E D TO ACCESS
TO PHYSICAL THERAPIST SERVICES
In this current legislative session, the committee has been shepherding a bill in the state legislature. HB 460 allows improved access
to PT and OT services in that it reduces high co-payments for patients to be in line with a co-payment for a primary care physician as opposed to its current category as a specialist. This is the second legislative session that we have introduced this bill and are hopeful to get it passed before the session ends in December. We have had committee hearings regarding this but as of this writing, it remains in the Insurance Committee for consideration.
The committee has also been working on issues related to access to physical therapist services. This includes issues related to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation and Medicaid Services.
The next committee meeting will be to discuss legislative priority options for OPTA for next year. These topics are not limited to but include ordering imaging, fair co-pay legislation, ordering disability plaques, performing sports physicals, changing our regulator designator from PT to DPT, reducing administrative burden with prior authorization, and several BWC issues. Ideas are always welcome for the committee to consider from anyone around the state.
For additional information and a way to become more involved, please visit the OPTA website and click on advocacy. This is a great way to learn more about the activities that your association is currently performing.
Lastly, I would like to thank Alan Howell for having the position of State Affairs Chair for the past decade. His leadership during that time has been invaluable to all of us and the patients we serve. We all appreciate all the time and effort he has put into running this committee.
For more information, contact Anthony at:
anthonydif@gmail.com
20 | August 2022 | OPTA