Lately, I have been receiving questions regarding the Medicare program and does the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recognize and pay for direct access for outpatient therapy services. In this article, I will answer the following questions:

On May 23, 2019, House Bill (HB) 29 passed the Texas Senate and on June 14, 2019, Governor signed the bill into law. HB 29 will provide Texas residents the ability to have Direct Access for physical therapy services with an effective date of September 1, 2019. Highlights of HB 29 and Direct Access include: A physical therapist may treat a patient for an injury or condition in a manner described by Section 453.005 without a referral if the physical therapist: