Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act of 2005

H.R. 1333, the Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act of 2005, would have allowed Medicare beneficiaries to visit a qualified physical therapist without first obtaining a referral or a plan of care from a physician. By removing this requirement, the bill aimed to provide seniors with direct access to physical therapy services, potentially reducing delays in treatment and lowering out-of-pocket costs associated with additional doctor visits. Additionally, the legislation sought to separate the billing and administration of speech-language pathology services from physical therapy services to ensure more distinct management of these different types of care.