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S4420119th CongressWALLET

Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

Introduced

Summary

Would expand access to physical therapy in underserved communities by adding physical therapists to the National Health Service Corps and creating PT-specific shortage target areas. It would also provide targeted funding for PT loan repayment and add physical therapy services to Medicare Rural Health Clinic and Federally Qualified Health Center programs.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Loan repayment for physical therapists

If enacted, physical therapists would be added to the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program. If you are a licensed physical therapist with a master's or doctoral degree and have federal student loans, you would be eligible to apply for NHSC loan repayment. The bill would also recognize physical therapy as a primary health service for NHSC purposes and authorize an additional $15,000,000 for loan repayments for participating physical therapists. The statute does not specify per-person payment amounts or formulas.

Medicare covers physical therapy at clinics

If enacted, Medicare would cover physical therapy services furnished by a physical therapist at Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). This change would apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027. The amendment adds "physical therapy services (as defined in subsection (p))" to the clinics' covered service list but does not set payment rates or exact beneficiary cost-sharing.

Target areas for physical therapy access

If enacted, the HHS Secretary would be required to identify "physical therapy health professional target areas" inside existing Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). The agency would set criteria, collect and publish data in the Federal Register comparing availability and need for physical therapy, and seek input from provider groups. Identifying a PT target area would not be required outside HPSAs and would not by itself change which professions are eligible for NHSC assistance.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

NM • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

    SD • R

    Sponsored 4/28/2026

  • Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 6/24/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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