Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4420 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4420

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the participation of physical therapists in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment program, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand Medicare Rural Health Clinic Services and Federally Qualified Health Center Services to include physical therapy services, and for other purposes.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 28, 2026

Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Mr. Rounds) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

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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, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand Medicare Rural Health Clinic Services and Federally Qualified Health Center Services to include physical therapy services, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2026''.

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) Physical Therapy Health Professional Target Areas.--Section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(l)(1) The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall identify, based on the data collected under paragraph (3), physical therapy health professional target areas that satisfy the criteria described in paragraph (2) for purposes of, in connection with receipt of assistance under this title, assigning to such identified areas physical therapy health professionals who, without application of this subsection, would otherwise be eligible for such assistance. The Secretary shall distribute physical therapy health professionals within health professional shortage areas using the physical therapy health professional target areas so identified. ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish criteria for physical therapy health professional target areas that identify geographic areas within health professional shortage areas that have a shortage of physical therapy health professionals. ``(3) For purposes of this subsection, the Secretary shall collect and publish in the Federal Register data comparing the availability and need of physical therapy health services in health professional shortage areas and in areas within such health professional shortage areas. ``(4) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall seek input from relevant provider organizations, including medical societies, organizations representing medical facilities, and other organizations with expertise in physical therapy health services. ``(5) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as-- ``(A) requiring the identification of a physical therapy health professional target area in an area not otherwise already designated as a health professional shortage area; or ``(B) affecting the types of health professionals, without application of this subsection, otherwise eligible for assistance, including a loan repayment or scholarship, pursuant to the application of this section.''. (c) 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,''; and (2) in subsection (b)-- (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``, or be certified as a nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant'' and inserting ``; be certified as a nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant; or have a doctoral or master's degree in physical therapy''; (B) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``physical therapy,'' after ``mental health,''; and (C) in paragraph (1)(C)(ii), by inserting ``physical therapy,'' after ``dentistry,''.

SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PARTICIPATION OF PHYSICAL THERAPISTS IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

Section 10503(b)(2)(L) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 254b-2(b)(2)(L)) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: ``, and an additional $15,000,000 for such period for loan repayments for physical therapists participating in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program under section 338B of the Public Health Service Act''.

SEC. 4. EXPANDING MEDICARE RURAL HEALTH CLINIC SERVICES AND FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER SERVICES TO INCLUDE PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES.

(a) In General.--Section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (1)-- (A) in subparagraph (C), by striking at the end ``and''; (B) in subparagraph (D), by adding ``and'' at the end; and (C) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph: ``(E) such physical therapy services (as defined in subsection (p)) furnished by a physical therapist,''; and (2) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``subparagraphs (A) through (D)'' and inserting ``subparagraphs (A) through (E)''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027. <all>