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119-hr-5621119th CongressWALLET

Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]

Introduced

Summary

Expands access to physical therapy in underserved communities by adding physical therapists to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program and by making Medicare reimburse physical therapy services in Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

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  • Families and patients — Easier local access to physical therapy in medically underserved areas. Medicare will cover physical therapy in Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers for services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.
  • Physical therapists and students — Become eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. The bill creates dedicated funding increases and a minimum allocation for physical therapist loan repayments.
  • Rural clinics and community health centers — Can receive Medicare reimbursement for a defined scope of physical therapy services in Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers. That brings federal payment into community-based primary care settings.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Medicare coverage for physical therapy

If enacted, this bill would add physical therapy services furnished by a physical therapist to the list of services covered at Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers. The change would apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027. This would expand access to therapy at those clinics and would likely lower out-of-pocket costs for Medicare patients who use them.

Loan relief for physical therapists

If enacted, this bill would let physical therapists with a master’s or doctoral degree join the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. The bill would add "physical therapy" to NHSC primary services and require the Secretary to identify physical therapy target areas and place NHSC physical therapists there. It would raise one NHSC appropriation from $172,972,603 to $187,972,603 and require at least $15,000,000 of that amount be used for loan repayments for physical therapists. These changes would take effect upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]

CO • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

  • Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9]

    VA • R

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 10/22/2026

  • Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 2/10/2026

  • Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 2/11/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 2/11/2026

  • Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 2/11/2026

  • Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 2/24/2026

  • Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]

    TN • D

    Sponsored 3/4/2026

  • Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 3/4/2026

  • Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 3/17/2026

  • Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 3/24/2026

  • Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 4/9/2026

  • Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 4/13/2026

  • Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]

    KS • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]

    LA • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]

    ME • D

    Sponsored 5/11/2026

  • Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2026

  • Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2026

  • Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 5/29/2026

  • Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2026

  • Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 6/10/2026

  • Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large]

    SD • R

    Sponsored 6/15/2026

  • Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 9/8/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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