HB444 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ron Johnson

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Physical therapy, eliminate requirement for referral from physician or other health care practitioner to perform physical therapy, Secs. 34-24-191, 34-24-210.1, 34-24-217 am'd.

Summary

HB444 would expand how physical therapy can be delivered by allowing more services to be provided by licensed physical therapists without a physician or other health care referral.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends Alabama law to broaden the circumstances under which a licensed physical therapist can deliver physical therapy without a prescription or referral, while keeping referrals required in other situations. It enumerates specific scenarios where direct PT services may occur, such as for certain developmental, home health, nursing home, wellness, and chronic conditions, with requirements for care plans and communication to the diagnosing provider. It also includes provisions clarifying licensure and disciplinary rules, including how employment relationships with physicians are treated.

Who It Affects

• Patients needing physical therapy (including children with developmental disabilities, home health patients, nursing home residents, and individuals with chronic or previously diagnosed conditions) would have broader access to PT services without a referral in more contexts.
• Licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants would have expanded authority to provide PT services directly in more settings, with clarified rules about employment relationships with physicians not being treated as misconduct.

Key Provisions

• Expands the non-referral delivery of physical therapy to include additional cases under §34-24-210.1, including initial evaluation and specified services.
• Specifies seven categories of services that may be provided without prescription or referral: (1) child with developmental disability under a plan of care, (2) home health patient under a plan of care, (3) nursing home patient under a plan of care, (4) wellness/fitness-related conditioning and education, (5) previously diagnosed conditions with a plan of care and reporting to the diagnosing provider within the first 15 days, (6) chronic conditions under active medical management, and (7) restoration of strength/endurance/coordination/ROM when no new onset pain, illness, or injury is present.
• Maintains referral-based delivery for other PT services, but allows broader direct access in the enumerated cases.
• Section 217 clarifies licensure and discipline rules, including that bona fide employment or contractual relationships with physicians or physician groups, or referrals from those physicians, are not automatically considered misconduct or a license violation under the act.
• Effective date provision: the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Physical Therapists