BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1000
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 15, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 1000 (Wieckowski and Maienschein) - As Amended: May 8, 2013
Policy Committee: Business,
Professions and Consumer Protection Vote: 12-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill allows patients to directly access physical therapy
(PT) services for 45 calendar days or 12 visits, whichever comes
first, after which the patient must get approval through the
physical therapist's plan of care and an in-person examination
by a physician and surgeon or podiatrist, and expands the types
of licensed professionals permitted to work for a professional
corporation, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Potentially significant costs to the state as well as to other
employers and their insurers, including the State Compensation
Insurance Fund (SCIF), for worker's compensation claims.
These costs are difficult to project, but direct referral to
PTs could increase costs for worker's compensation for state
employees well in excess of $150,000. In addition, this bill
specifies it does not require direct access to PT to be
covered by a health insurers or plans. There are instances
where an enrollee or insured self-refers outside a health
plan's gatekeeper system and, depending on the circumstances,
an enrollee could be reimbursed.
2)Potential minor, absorbable fee-supported special fund
enforcement costs to the Physical Therapy Board of California.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . This bill is sponsored by the California Physical
AB 1000
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Therapy Association (CPTA), which asserts patients with
chronic conditions or those who are seniors or have low
incomes will benefit because they will not incur extra wait
time and costly co-pays in order to see a physical therapist.
CPTA notes 36 states allow patients direct access to physical
therapists and Medicare allows direct treatment as well. There
are currently 26,000 licensed PTs in California.
2)Previous legislation . SB 924 (Price, Steinberg, and Walters)
of 2012, would have allowed PTs to treat patients without a
diagnosis from a physician for 30 business days, and
thereafter under specified conditions, and specified who may
be shareholders, officers, directors, or professional
employees of medical corporations, podiatry corporations,
chiropractic corporations, and physical therapy corporations.
After passing out of this committee, SB 924 was held in the
Assembly Rules Committee.
AB 783 (Hayashi) of 2011, would have added licensed PTs and
occupational therapists to the list of healing arts
practitioners who may be shareholders, officers, directors or
professional employees of a medical corporation, podiatric
medical corporation, or chiropractic corporation, as
specified. AB 783 was held in Senate Business, Professions and
Economic Development Committee.
AB 721 (Nava) of 2009 would have provided direct access to
services by PTs. AB 721 was held in the Assembly Business and
Professions Committee.
AB 1444 (Emmerson) of 2008 would have revised the definition
of physical therapy and authorized a physical therapist to
initiate treatment of conditions within the scope of practice
of a physical therapist, as specified. AB 1444 was held in the
Assembly Business and Professions Committee.
Analysis Prepared by : Debra Roth / APPR. / (916) 319-2081