The Massachusetts General Court session runs from January 2025 through July 2026 in formal session and informal session through the end of 2026. We count on our members using their individual and collective voices to make a difference in health care policy initiatives on Beacon Hill.
S. 215, An Act Relative to Physical Therapy (Support) – Enact legislation to modernize the PT Practice Act to explicitly recognize diagnostic imaging, electrodiagnostic testing, and durable medical equipment (DME) prescription within the practice of physical therapy.
S.1506/H.2490, An Act Establishing a Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (Support): – Enact legislation for Massachusetts to join 38 states plus Washington, DC, in the interstate PT Compact.
H2415, An Act Relative to Safer Treatment (Oppose) – Our Opposition is aimed at stopping attempts by acupuncturists to artificially reduce the scope of PT through arbitrarily restricting the practice of dry needling.
H.2362/S.1491: An Act Relative to Chaperones for Medical Exams (Oppose): Our opposition to this bill is specifically regarding the requirement for physician oversight in the room with a licensed PT during an internal pelvic exam.
MassHealth Outpatient Benefit Changes
Below is a quick summary of proposed improvements we hope to see finalized in the coming months. While these are not yet official, they represent meaningful progress that APTA MA continues to push forward to finalize. If approved, these changes will improve access to PT services across the state.
State House Updates
It has been an exciting end of year for our legislative advocacy work. Coming on the heels of the successful committee vote on the Interstate PT Compact in October and our largest PT Day on the Hill in years, we’ve had two other recent wins in the legislature:
Physical Therapy Scope of Practice
We are thrilled to share that our Scope of Practice Bill (S.215) is moving out of the Joint Committee on Public Health with a favorable report. This is a major step forward and a direct reflection of strong advocacy throughout the state. Targeted conversations, active member engagement, and an impactful PT Day on the Hill helped get us here. Thank you to everyone who showed up for this work.
As we learn more about next steps for the bill, we will target specific individuals and groups to connect with key legislators. We’ve seen the power of advocacy work – now let’s keep the momentum going! Keep an eye on your inbox for more information regarding next steps.
Dry Needling
We are also thankful that the Joint Committee on Public Health chose to send H.2415 to a study. This decision means this legislation (that would effectively ban the practice of dry needling by anyone other than a licensed acupuncturist) will not move forward at this time. Thank you to all PTs who shared your stories with legislators during the public hearing and PT Day on the Hill.
Please remember that your advocacy makes a difference. We will continue to aggressively pursue opportunities for you to amplify your voice when it matters. We appreciate when our members deliver and are grateful for your support.
National Advocacy Dinners are an annual event, usually held locally by programs and student groups, to learn about the importance of APTA advocacy and how students can get involved and stay involved throughout their careers.
