,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bfgf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,august #i1    
#bjba,mr4 ,tester 7for himself and ,mr4 
,wicker7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,health1 ,education1     
,labor1 and ,pensions  ,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
 ,program1 and for other purposes4  #a4 
,short title2 findings  7a7 ,short title
 ,this ,act may be cited as the         
,physical ,therapist ,workforce and     
,patient ,access ,act of #bjba4  7b7    
,findings ,congress finds as follows3   
7#a7 ,physical therapists play an       
important role in the prevention1       
treatment1 or management of pain for    
individuals1 including those with       
substance use disorders1 or at risk of  
developing a substance use disorder4    
7#b7 ,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-#ai4  #b4 ,national ,health     
,service ,corps2 participation of       
physical therapists in loan repayment   
program  7a7 ,mission of corps2         
definition of primary health services   
,section #cca7;a77#c77;,d7 of the       
,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db      
,u4,s4,c4 #bed;d7a77#c77;,d77 is amended
 by striking or mental health1 and      
inserting mental health1 or physical    
therapy14  7b7 ,loan repayment program  
,section #cch;,b of the ,public ,health 
,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedl-#a7  
is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#a71
 by inserting physical therapists1 after
 dentists12  7#b7 in subsection         
7b77#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a7--   
7i7 by striking 1 or be certified and   
inserting 2 be certified2 and  7ii7 by  
inserting before the semicolon the      
following3 2 or have a doctoral or      

master's degree in physical therapy2    
7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting 
physical therapy1 after mental health12 
and  7,c7 in subparagraph 7,c77ii71 by  
inserting physical therapy1 after       
dentistry12 and  7#c7 by adding at the  
end the following3  7i7 ,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 eligible4  4