Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2025
This bill allows physical therapists to join the National Health Service Corps, offering them federal student loan repayment in exchange for working in communities facing healthcare shortages. To fund this, the legislation adds $15 million specifically for physical therapist loan relief. Starting in January 2027, it also enables Medicare to cover physical therapy services provided at rural health clinics and community health centers.
What this bill touches.
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Physical therapistsSection 2(c) and Section 3 make physical therapists holding a master's or doctoral degree eligible for the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program and designate at least $15 million specifically for their loan repayments.
- Rural health clinics and community health centersSection 4(a) adds physical therapy services provided by physical therapists to Medicare coverage at rural health clinics and community health centers beginning January 1, 2027.
- Patients in rural and underserved areasSection 2(a)-(b) and Section 4(a) expand access to physical therapy services under the National Health Service Corps and add Medicare coverage for physical therapy at rural health clinics and community health centers.
Who it burdens
- Department of Health and Human ServicesSection 2(b) requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to identify physical therapy shortage areas and assign National Health Service Corps physical therapists to them.
Who backs it
- Federal governmentSection 3 increases funding for the National Health Service Corps by $15 million (from $172,972,603 to $187,972,603) to finance loan repayments for physical therapists.
The provisions, in plain language.
Adds physical therapy to the primary health services provided by the National Health Service Corps.
Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to identify target areas with physical therapist shortages and assign National Health Service Corps physical therapists to serve in them.
Makes physical therapists holding a master's or doctoral degree eligible for the National Health Service Corps student loan repayment program.
Increases National Health Service Corps funding by $15 million and requires at least $15 million to be dedicated to loan repayments for physical therapists.
Adds physical therapy services provided by physical therapists to Medicare coverage for rural health clinics and community health centers, beginning January 1, 2027.