Permanent Fix to Therapy Cap Signed into Law

Posted: February 13, 2018

From Sharon L.Dunn, PT, PhD, President APTA

February 9, 2018, Congress passed a $500 billion bipartisan budget deal that funds the US government through March 23, 2018 and sets the spending framework for 2019. President Trump signed the budget deal into law at approximately 8:30 am. This deal increases both military and domestic spending, and addresses disaster relief along with a host of critical federal health programs, including a permanent fix to the Medicare Part B hard therapy cap. Members, login to read the full article. Not a member? Please join us. 

49 Joined/Renewed Their APTA CO Membership In January

Posted: February 21, 2018

Thank you to everyone who joined or renewed their membership in January! 

Cristina Ann Anderson, PT, MPT - Denver, CO
Eric Michael Bender, PT, DPT - Greenwood Village,CO
Catherine Anne Bilyeu, PT, DPT, OCS - Parker, CO
Pamela Jo Bohling, PT, MHS, OCS - Denver,CO
Chelsey Anne Bonacasa, PTA - Colorado Springs,CO
Domenica Caleca, PT, DPT - Colorado Springs, CO
Nicolas Cartaya, SPT - Fort Collins, CO
David Charles Charland, PT - Fort Collins,CO
Allison Clark, PT - Greenwood Village, CO
Kate Cleveland, SPT - Grand Junction, CO
Bernard Georges Condevaux, PT, CSCS, SCS - Grand Junction,CO
Wendy Vance Conley, PT - Denver, CO
Amber Davenport, PT - Englewood, CO
Lynn Marie Duncan, PT - Santa Fe,NM
Dayna Ellen Ehlers, PT - Wheat Ridge,CO
Tamlyn Englehart, SPTA - Denver, CO
Danielle Fogus, PT - Denver, CO
Carly Frounfelker, SPTA - Denver, CO
Finn Burnett Gerstell, PT, DPT, OCS - Centennial, CO
Alexander Demoz Hailemelekot, PT - Salida, CO
Rudi Lauren Hamashin, PT - Denver, CO
Jason Dean Harpp, PT, DPT, OCS - Durango,CO
Steven Hennig, PT - Greeley,CO
Erin Q. Hood, PT, DPT, OCS - Denver,CO
Scott A. Johnson, PT - Louisville, CO
Tricia Kay Krempasky, PT, DPT - Lowell,AR
Sandra Maria LaBella, PT - Denver, CO
Suzanne Jocelyn Legg-Matthews, PT - Frisco, CO
Bethany Kay Lubacz, PT, MPT - Frisco,CO
Lorne Thomas MacDonald, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS - Denver,CO
Joshua Miles MacNaughton, SPT - DPO, AE
Elizabeth Ashlee Malone, PT - Broomfield,CO
Jared McGowen, PT, DPT, CSCS, OCS - Denver, CO
Cory Molnar, SPT - Castle Rock,CO
Martha Reid Myers, PT - Denver, CO
Emily W. Rawlings, PT, DPT, COMT - Denver, CO
Tim Richardt, PT - Chicago, IL
Amy Rota, PT, DPT - Arvada,CO
Amanda Jane Sejna, PT - Lafayette, CO
Timothy James Serrano, PT DPT, Cert. SMT/DN - Fort Collins, CO
Valerie Shonts, PT - Denver, CO
Dawn Marie Singleton, PT, DPT, MTC - Denver, CO
Laura Joan Stebbins, PT - Denver, CO
Sarah Tey, SPT - Denver, CO
Nathan Trout, PT, MPT - Denver,CO
Christopher Trzcinski, PT - Granby, CO
Randy Willman, PT - Denver, CO
Alyssa Celeste Wischmeyer, PT, DPT, OCS - Sedalia,CO
Ned J. Zerwic, PT, DPT - Arvada,CO

APTA CO members, you search the membership directory online here. Not a member? Please join us!

WYPTA Spring Conference 2018

Posted: February 21, 2018 

The Wyoming Physical Therapy Association would like to invite all healthcare professionals for a multidisciplinary approach to treat patients with chronic pain May 19-20th. The conference will be held at the Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, WY and will focus on Unraveling the Mystery of Pain: The Multi-disciplinary approach to treating chronic pain. View the conference flyer. Learn more and register here. 

Physical Therapy Practice Act Sunset Bill Introduced

Posted: Feb. 6, 2018

HB 18-1155, the bill that continues the regulation of Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) by the Dept. of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), has been introduced in the State Legislature with strong support by the APTA/Colorado Chapter. 

Lead sponsors of the bill are Rep. Jonathan Singer (D-Boulder County), Rep. Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs) and Sen. Beth Martinez-Humenik (R-Adams County). The first hearing is scheduled before the House Public Health Care & Human Services Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 13^th at 1:30 p.m. (Members, login here for the Chapter’s 24/7 bill tracker  that will show HB 18-1155’s progress as well as others that could impact the practice of physical therapy in Colorado.)

The bill is based on the “2017 Sunset Review: Physical Therapy Practice Act Report” that was researched and written in 2017 by the Colorado Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform and released on October 15^th.

The bill:

• Continues the licensure of PTs and certification of PTAs;
• Clarifies that a PT may establish a physical therapy diagnosis within the PT scope of practice;
• Changes “immediate supervision” to “direct supervision” to be consistent throughout statute and remove confusion;
• Adds PTAs to the list of individuals to whom a PT provides oversight;
• Modernizes the legislative declaration language to reflect best practice;
• Makes technical changes to allow Colorado to enter the PT Compact (HB 17-1057);
• Rotates off a PT and replaces with a PTA on the Board of Physical Therapy at DORA;
• Simplifies continuing competency for PTs;
• Adds continuing competency for PTAs, and
• Clarifies that PTAs can do limited wound care without sharp instruments and only PTs can perform limited wound care with sharp instruments.

Click here to learn who your state representative and senator are so you can add your voice in support of HB 18-1155 when needed. The Chapter’s fact sheet is attached.