APTA Prioritizes Medicare Reform and Patient Access in New Policy Agenda
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has outlined its policy priorities for the 119th Congress, emphasizing the crucial role of physical therapy in the US healthcare system. The newly released “APTA Public Policy Priorities 2025-26” focuses on key areas that impact the profession, with a particular emphasis on Medicare payment reform and improving patient access to care.
“Fighting for increased Medicare payment and advocating for long-term reforms to the Medicare fee schedule remain top legislative priorities for APTA in the 119th U.S. Congress,” said APTA Vice President Skye Donovan, PT, PhD, who also chairs the APTA Public Policy and advocacy Committee. “Updating our policy priorities is key to establishing a framework for where we should spend our human and financial resources. In addition to serving as a starting point for deeper conversations on needed reforms with lawmakers,insurers,and federal agencies,our public policy priorities enable us to leverage the power of the physical therapy profession to provide solutions to health care issues that impact all Americans.”
Key Policy Focus Areas for 2025-26
APTA’s 2025-26 policy priorities highlight four key areas:
- Patient Access and Care: Ensuring patients have timely access to physical therapy services, regardless of their insurance status or geographic location.
- population Health and social Determinants of health: Promoting the role of physical therapy in addressing health disparities and improving population health outcomes.
- Value-Based Care and Practice: Advancing payment models that reward quality, outcomes, and patient experience, ensuring physical therapy practices are adequately compensated for their value.
Medicare Payment reform: The association emphasizes the urgent need for Medicare payment reform to ensure physical therapists are adequately compensated for their services and can continue to provide quality care to beneficiaries. The current fee schedule is often inadequate, hindering access to care for older adults who rely on medicare.
Addressing these issues is critical to ensuring a enduring future for physical therapy and its ability to meet the growing healthcare needs of the nation.
Actionable Steps for the Future
APTA’s policy agenda calls for a multifaceted approach to achieving its goals:
- Advocacy & Collaboration: Continued engagement with lawmakers, federal agencies, and other stakeholders to advocate for policy changes that support physical therapy.
- Data & Research: strengthening research and data collection to demonstrate the value and impact of physical therapy in improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
- Education & Outreach: Raising awareness among the public, policymakers, and other healthcare professionals about the benefits of physical therapy and the importance of addressing payment disparities.
By working together, APTA members, policymakers, and the public can ensure that physical therapy remains a vital part of the healthcare system for years to come.
APTA Prioritizes Research, Innovation, and Policy Reform
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has announced its key policy priorities for the 2025-26 legislative session, emphasizing a continued focus on research, clinical innovation, and sweeping policy reforms within the healthcare system. These priorities reflect the association’s commitment to enhancing patient care and advocating for the physical therapy profession’s vital role in addressing evolving healthcare needs.
Shaping the Future of Physical Therapy Care
The APTA’s 2025-26 priorities underscore the critical need to adapt to a changing healthcare landscape. Among the key initiatives: reforming the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to ensure adequate reimbursement for physical therapists, streamlining administrative burdens to allow clinicians to focus on patient care, and expanding investment in preventative healthcare and wellness programs.
Redefining Access to Care
The APTA recognizes the importance of making physical therapy more accessible to all patients. A key focus is developing innovative care models that position physical therapists as an initial point of contact for patients seeking musculoskeletal and rehabilitative care. This approach aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce needless reliance on more costly and invasive interventions.
Investing in Research and Innovation
The APTA is steadfast in its commitment to advancing the field of physical therapy through rigorous research and the adoption of innovative technologies. The organization is advocating for increased funding for research initiatives that specifically include physical therapist services, emphasizing the need for professionals to be actively involved in developing outcome, process, and quality measures within their practices.
Advocacy: A Collective Effort
“As we embark on a new journey with the 119th Congress and federal agencies together, I encourage all of our members to join us in taking an active role in shaping the policy initiatives our profession faces today,” said APTA President Kyle Covington, PT, DPT, PhD. “Advocacy wins rarely happen overnight; work on an initiative often takes months or even years. This is why developing resources such as our public policy priorities is vital to the American Physical Therapy Association’s mission.”
The APTA’s comprehensive policy agenda for 2025-26 reflects its dedication to ensuring physical therapists can provide optimal care to patients while advancing the profession’s role in shaping the future of healthcare. By actively engaging in the legislative process and promoting evidence-based practices, the APTA is paving the way for a healthier and more accessible healthcare system for all.
What specific Medicare policy changes is the APTA advocating for, and how would these changes benefit patients who rely on physical therapy?
APTA Emphasizes Medicare Reform and Patient Access: An Interview with Dr. Skye Donovan
As the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) outlines its policy priorities for the 119th congress, Archyde News Editor sat down with Dr.Skye Donovan, APTA Vice president and Chair of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, to discuss the crucial role of physical therapy in the U.S. healthcare system.
Reforming Medicare: A top Priority
Archyde News Editor: dr. donovan, the APTAS new policy agenda clearly prioritizes Medicare reform. Can you elaborate on why this is so crucial for the future of physical therapy?
Dr. Skye Donovan: Absolutely. Right now, the Medicare fee schedule often falls short of adequately compensating physical therapists for the vital services they provide to older adults. This can hinder access to care for a vulnerable population who relies heavily on Medicare. We need a lasting,long-term solution that ensures physical therapists are fairly compensated for their expertise and the value they bring to patients’ lives.
Expanding Access to Care: beyond Medicare
Archyde News Editor: Access to physical therapy is a significant concern.What other initiatives are in place to ensure patients can access these services, regardless of their insurance status or location?
Dr. Donovan: it’s a multifaceted challenge, but we’re actively working on several fronts. We’re advocating for policies that promote integrated care models, where physical therapists can collaborate with other healthcare providers as part of a coordinated effort. This can definitely help streamline referrals and improve patient flow. Additionally, we’re exploring innovative care delivery models, such as telehealth, to expand access to physical therapy, particularly in underserved areas.
Embracing Innovation and Research
Archyde News editor: How is the APTA investing in research and innovation to advance the field of physical therapy?
Dr. Donovan: Research is essential to our profession. We’re supporting studies that examine the effectiveness of different physical therapy interventions and develop new technologies to enhance patient care. We are also actively engaging in the growth of standardized measures and outcome assessments to demonstrate the value of physical therapy and its impact on patient outcomes.
The Call to Action:
Archyde News Editor: Dr. Donovan,what can individuals interested in supporting these initiatives do to get involved?
Dr. Donovan: We encourage everyone to stay informed about our policy priorities and advocate for change.You can connect with your elected officials, share our resources with your networks, and support organizations that are advancing the physical therapy profession. Let’s work together to ensure that physical therapy is recognized and valued as an essential component of a high-quality healthcare system for all.
