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Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2021

S. 2676 · 117th Congress · Aug 9, 2021 · Lineage

A BILL

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the participation of physical therapists in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, and for other purposes.

Section 1 Short title; findings

(a)
Short title— This Act may be cited as the “Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2021”.
(b)
Findings— Congress finds as follows:
(1)
Physical therapists play an important role in the prevention, treatment, or management of pain for individuals, including those with substance use disorders, or at risk of developing a substance use disorder.
(2)
Physical therapists are also playing an important role in the physical rehabilitation needs of individuals who have developed chronic health conditions as a result of COVID–19.

Sec. 2 National Health Service Corps; participation of physical therapists in loan repayment program

(a)
Mission of corps; definition of primary health services— Section 331(a)(3)(D) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254d(a)(3)(D)) is amended by striking “or mental health,” and inserting “mental health, or physical therapy,”.
(b)
Loan repayment program— Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l–1) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(1), by inserting “physical therapists,” after “dentists,”;
(2)
in subsection (b)(1)—
(A)
in subparagraph (A)—
(i)
by striking “, or be certified” and inserting “; be certified”; and
(ii)
by inserting before the semicolon the following: “; or have a doctoral or master's degree in physical therapy”;
(B)
in subparagraph (B), by inserting “physical therapy,” after “mental health,”; and
(C)
in subparagraph (C)(ii), by inserting “physical therapy,” after “dentistry,”; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:

“(i) Eligibility To participate in other programs—Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any health care professional who is eligible to participate in the program under this section from participating in any other loan repayment program established by the Secretary for which such professional is eligible.”