,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #efba ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #cj1 #bjbe,ms4 ,de,gette 7for herself and ,mr4 ,griffith7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,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 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 services1 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 #bjbe4 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 7#c7 ,physical therapist services are an essential component of the multidisciplinary undertaking that will be required to improve patient access and outcomes in medically underserved areas4 #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 ,physical therapy health professional target areas ,section #ccb of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;e7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7l7 ,physical therapy health professional target areas 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out a program of-- 7,a7 identifying physical therapy health professional target areas2 and 7,b7 assigning members of the ,corps who are physical therapists to such areas4 7#b7 ,applicable provisions ,the provisions of paragraphs 7#a71 7#b71 7#c71 7#d71 and 7#f7 of subsection 7k7 shall apply to the identification of physical therapy health professional target areas and the assignment of physical therapists under this subsection except that-- 7,a7 references to maternity care health professional target areas shall be treated as references to physical therapy health professional target areas2 and 7,b7 references to maternity care health professionals and maternity care shall be treated as references to physical therapists and physical therapy1 respectively4 4 7c7 ,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 7b7-- 7,a7 by striking 7#a77;,a7 have a degree in and all that follows through the end of subparagraph 7,a7 of paragraph 7#a7 and inserting the following3 7#a7 7,a7 7i7 have a degree in medicine1 osteopathic medicine1 dentistry1 or another health profession1 or an appropriate degree from a graduate program of behavioral and mental health2 7ii7 be certified as a nurse midwife1 nurse practitioner1 or physician assistant2 or 7iii7 have a doctoral or master's degree in physical therapy2 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a77;,b71 by inserting physical therapy1 after mental health12 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#a77;,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 #c4 ,additional funding for participation of physical therapists in the ,national ,health ,service ,corps ,loan ,repayment ,program ,section #ajejc7;b77#b77,k7 of the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;b-#b7;b77#b77,k77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking #agb1igb1fjc and inserting #ahg1igb1fjc2 and 7#b7 by inserting before the period at the end the following3 1 provided that of such amount the ,secretary shall use not less than #ae1jjj1jjj for making loan repayments for physical therapists participating in the ,national ,health ,service ,corps ,loan ,repayment ,program under section #cch;,b of the ,public ,health ,service ,act4 #d4 ,expanding ,medicare ,rural ,health ,clinic ,services and ,federally ,qualified ,health ,center ,services to include physical therapy services 7a7 ,in general ,section #ahfa7;aa7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7aa77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking at the end and2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,d71 by adding and at the end2 and 7,c7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,d7 the following new subparagraph3 7,e7 such physical therapy services 7as defined in subsection 7p77 furnished by a physical therapist1 2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,a71 by striking subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,d7 and inserting subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,e74 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by subsection 7a7 shall apply with respect to services furnished on or after ,january #a1 #bjbg4