Medicare expands temporary staffing flexibility for physical therapists

What it does

This bill allows physical therapists to use locum tenens (temporary substitute) arrangements under Medicare, the same way physicians already can. Currently, Medicare rules permit physicians to use temporary stand-in providers, but physical therapists are excluded. The bill extends that same flexibility to physical therapists, enabling continuity of care when a therapist is unavailable.

Why we flagged it

The bill removes a categorical exclusion from an existing Medicare arrangement rule, bringing physical therapists into parity with physicians. It is a narrow technical amendment that equalizes treatment across provider types.

What the text implies

• Locum tenens arrangements may increase Medicare billing volume if physical therapists use temporary providers more frequently than they currently substitute informally; cost impact depends on utilization patterns not specified in the bill.
• The amendment applies subparagraph (D) of § 1842(b)(6) to physical therapists without restating that subparagraph's content; the actual scope of permissible locum tenens arrangements is defined in the cited statute, not this bill.
• No quality-assurance, credentialing, or supervision requirements are added; the bill assumes existing Medicare rules for physician locum tenens are appropriate for physical therapists without explicit justification.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

Patients benefit from continuity of care when their regular physical therapist is unavailable, and providers gain operational flexibility to maintain service without interruption. The bill removes an arbitrary restriction that placed physical therapists at a disadvantage relative to physicians for no stated public-safety reason.

Who stands to gain

• physical therapy practices and clinics
• temporary staffing agencies serving healthcare

Named in the bill

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), physical therapists, physicians, Medicare, Social Security Act § 1842(b)(6)

Where it stands

63 cosponsors: 42 Democrats, 21 Republicans.

• Feb 24, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Feb 24, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means and House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a…”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

4 lobbying clients named this bill on 8 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $1,454,460 in lobbying spend. A filing names 25 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 72% of bills with at least one filing.

Gus Bilirakis, the sponsor, reported $937,250 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• American Farm Bureau Fed — $720,409 on 3 filings
• American Physical Therapy Association — $614,051 on 2 filings
• Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation — $80,000 on 1 filing
• Apta Private Practice — $40,000 on 2 filings

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 19, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.