Direct Access bill for the State of Michigan Update from MPTA President Peter Loubert January 20, 2006
I bring news that we now have a new version of a bill for direct consumer access to physical therapy services in Michigan. By my reading the current version of the bill needs a little more work, but it is a significant step in the right direction.
The sponsor of the bill is Representative Barb Vander Veen from the west side of the state. As many of you know Representative Vander Veen has been a strong advocate for physical therapists and she has worked hard to come up with a version of direct access that she feels has the best chance of being successful in the current legislative climate.
Right now we need all of you to contact your local representative and ask that they join Representative Vander Veen as a co-sponsor of the "PT Direct Access Bill". All contacts need to be made as soon as possible so that their names can be added to the bill when it is introduced. You can find out who your representative is and get contact information by typing in your zip code in the Michigan section of the APTA State Legislative Advocacy Center new window
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I will keep you informed as this bill progresses and will be looking forward to your support and action as the bill progresses. In the mean time if you or your Representative have questions, please feel free to contact me or MPTA lobbyist Terry Vanderveen (517-827-0600).
New Law modifies Physical Therapy Practice
Update from MPTA President Peter Loubert December 20, 2006
This message is to announce that Michigan Senate Bill 380 has been signed into law and has taken immediate effect as Public Act 0281 of 2005.
SB 380 is a short bill that modifies the PT practice act by removing the "subfield exception" to whom we can accept "prescriptions". What this means is that starting immediately physical therapists can accept referrals from a person who is an MD, DO, DPM, DDS or any subfield license of the respective practice acts of those professions. The only subfield that presently exists is Physician Assistants. Therefore as of now physical therapists can accept referrals from physician assistants.
This change was supported by MPTA and is consistent with our overall objective for Direct Consumer Access to Physical Therapy Services. More than anything else, Direct Consumer Access to Physical Therapy Services means that physical therapists can accept referrals from any person, including patients themselves. Passage of SB 380 is a small but notable step in that direction. Even more importantly it removes an unnecessary barrier for patients who need physical therapy services.
New law changes Physical Therapy Scope of Practice -- EMG
Update from MPTA President Peter Loubert December 20, 2006With this message I bring the disappointing news that Governor Granholm has signed HB 4325 into law. With this bill becoming law the performance of electrodiagnostic studies is no longer part of the legal scope of practice for physical therapists in Michigan. The procedures included in the exclusion are needle EMG and NCV. I remains permissible for physical therapists to perform surface EMG studies. There are 3 physical therapists that are "grandfathered" under the new law and therefore permitted to continue performing electrodiagnostic studies as part of their PT practices. No new physical therapists will be permitted to perform the studies as long as this law remains in effect, no matter how qualified they might otherwise be.
MPTA members fought with hard and with dignity to defeat this bill. I want to thank all of you who attended meetings, made phone calls, sent emails and wrote letters for the effort. I want to especially acknowledge John Palazzo for his outstanding leadership and exceptionally hard work on this issue. I am certain that this type of effort on future issues will yield more satisfying results and I encourage you all to remain engaged in the fight on upcoming issues.