HB4643eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4643 Engrossed LRB100 18534 XWW 33752 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Physical Therapy Act is amended by changing Sections 1 and 17 and by adding Section 1.2 as follows:

(225 ILCS 90/1) (from Ch. 111, par. 4251)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)

Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act:

(1) "Physical therapy" means all of the following:

(A) Examining, evaluating, and testing individuals who may have mechanical, physiological, or developmental impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or other health and movement-related conditions, classifying these disorders, determining a rehabilitation prognosis and plan of therapeutic intervention, and assessing the ongoing on-going effects of the interventions.

(B) Alleviating impairments, functional limitations, or disabilities by designing, implementing, and modifying therapeutic interventions that may include, but are not limited to, the evaluation or treatment of a person through the use of the effective properties of physical measures and heat, cold, light, water, radiant energy, electricity, sound, and air and use of therapeutic massage, therapeutic exercise, mobilization, and rehabilitative procedures, with or without assistive devices, for the purposes of preventing, correcting, or alleviating a physical or mental impairment, functional limitation, or disability.

(C) Reducing the risk of injury, impairment, functional limitation, or disability, including the promotion and maintenance of fitness, health, and wellness.

(D) Engaging in administration, consultation, education, and research.

"Physical therapy" includes, but is not limited to: (a) performance of specialized tests and measurements, (b) administration of specialized treatment procedures, (c) interpretation of referrals from physicians, dentists, advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and podiatric physicians, (d) establishment, and modification of physical therapy treatment programs, (e) administration of topical medication used in generally accepted physical therapy procedures when such medication is either prescribed by the patient's physician, licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, the patient's physician licensed to practice podiatric medicine, the patient's advanced practice registered nurse, the patient's physician assistant, or the patient's dentist or used following the physician's orders or written instructions, (f) supervision or teaching of physical therapy, and (g) dry needling in accordance with Section 1.5. "Physical therapy" does not include radiology, electrosurgery, chiropractic technique or determination of a differential diagnosis; provided, however, the limitation on determining a differential diagnosis shall not in any manner limit a physical therapist licensed under this Act from performing an evaluation and establishing a physical therapy treatment plan pursuant to such license. Nothing in this Section shall limit a physical therapist from employing appropriate physical therapy techniques that he or she is educated and licensed to perform. A physical therapist shall refer to a licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, dentist, podiatric physician, other physical therapist, or other health care provider any patient whose medical condition should, at the time of evaluation or treatment, be determined to be beyond the scope of practice of the physical therapist.

(2) "Physical therapist" means a person who practices physical therapy and who has met all requirements as provided in this Act.

(3) "Department" means the Department of Professional Regulation.

(4) "Director" means the Director of Professional Regulation.

(5) "Board" means the Physical Therapy Licensing and Disciplinary Board approved by the Director.

(6) "Referral" means a written or oral authorization for physical therapy services for a patient by a physician, dentist, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric physician who maintains medical supervision of the patient and makes a diagnosis or verifies that the patient's condition is such that it may be treated by a physical therapist.

(7) (Blank). "Documented current and relevant diagnosis" for the purpose of this Act means a diagnosis, substantiated by signature or oral verification of a physician, dentist, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric physician, that a patient's condition is such that it may be treated by physical therapy as defined in this Act, which diagnosis shall remain in effect until changed by the physician, dentist, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric physician.

(8) "State" includes:

(a) the states of the United States of America;

(b) the District of Columbia; and

(c) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(9) "Physical therapist assistant" means a person licensed to assist a physical therapist and who has met all requirements as provided in this Act and who works under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist to assist in implementing the physical therapy treatment program as established by the licensed physical therapist. The patient care activities provided by the physical therapist assistant shall not include the interpretation of referrals, evaluation procedures, or the planning or major modification of patient programs.

(10) "Physical therapy aide" means a person who has received on the job training, specific to the facility in which he is employed.

(11) "Advanced practice registered nurse" means a person licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse under the Nurse Practice Act.

(12) "Physician assistant" means a person licensed under the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987.

(13) "Health care professional" means a physician, dentist, podiatric physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant.

(Source: P.A. 99-173, eff. 7-29-15; 99-229, eff. 8-3-15; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16; 100-201, eff. 8-18-17; 100-418, eff. 8-25-17; 100-513, eff. 1-1-18; revised 9-29-17.)

(225 ILCS 90/1.2 new)

Sec. 1.2. Physical therapy services.

(a) A physical therapist may provide physical therapy services to a patient with or without a referral from a health care professional.

(b) A physical therapist providing services without a referral from a health care professional must notify the patient's treating health care professional within 5 business days after the patient's first visit that the patient is receiving physical therapy. This does not apply to physical therapy services related to fitness or wellness, unless the patient presents with an ailment or injury.

(c) A physical therapist shall refer a patient to the patient's treating health care professional of record or, in the case where there is no health care professional of record, to a health care professional of the patient's choice, if:

(1) the patient does not demonstrate measurable or functional improvement after 10 visits or 15 business days, whichever occurs first, and continued improvement thereafter;

(2) the patient returns for services for the same or similar condition after 30 calendar days of being discharged by the physical therapist; or

(3) the patient's condition, at the time of evaluation or services, is determined to be beyond the scope of practice of the physical therapist.

(d) Wound debridement services may only be provided by a physical therapist with written authorization from a health care professional.

(e) A physical therapist shall promptly consult and collaborate with the appropriate health care professional anytime a patient's condition indicates that it may be related to temporomandibular disorder so that a diagnosis can be made by that health care professional for an appropriate treatment plan.

(225 ILCS 90/17) (from Ch. 111, par. 4267)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)

Sec. 17. (1) The Department may refuse to issue or to renew, or may revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand, or take other disciplinary action as the Department deems appropriate, including the issuance of fines not to exceed $5000, with regard to a license for any one or a combination of the following:

A. Material misstatement in furnishing information to the Department or otherwise making misleading, deceptive, untrue, or fraudulent representations in violation of this Act or otherwise in the practice of the profession;

B. Violations of this Act, or of the rules or regulations promulgated hereunder;

C. Conviction of any crime under the laws of the United States or any state or territory thereof which is a felony or which is a misdemeanor, an essential element of which is dishonesty, or of any crime which is directly related to the practice of the profession; conviction, as used in this paragraph, shall include a finding or verdict of guilty, an admission of guilt or a plea of nolo contendere;

D. Making any misrepresentation for the purpose of obtaining licenses, or violating any provision of this Act or the rules promulgated thereunder pertaining to advertising;

E. A pattern of practice or other behavior which demonstrates incapacity or incompetency to practice under this Act;

F. Aiding or assisting another person in violating any provision of this Act or Rules;

G. Failing, within 60 days, to provide information in response to a written request made by the Department;

H. Engaging in dishonorable, unethical or unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public. Unprofessional conduct shall include any departure from or the failure to conform to the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing physical therapy practice, in which proceeding actual injury to a patient need not be established;

I. Unlawful distribution of any drug or narcotic, or unlawful conversion of any drug or narcotic not belonging to the person for such person's own use or benefit or for other than medically accepted therapeutic purposes;

J. Habitual or excessive use or addiction to alcohol, narcotics, stimulants, or any other chemical agent or drug which results in a physical therapist's or physical therapist assistant's inability to practice with reasonable judgment, skill or safety;

K. Revocation or suspension of a license to practice physical therapy as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant or the taking of other disciplinary action by the proper licensing authority of another state, territory or country;

L. Directly or indirectly giving to or receiving from any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association any fee, commission, rebate or other form of compensation for any professional services not actually or personally rendered. Nothing contained in this paragraph prohibits persons holding valid and current licenses under this Act from practicing physical therapy in partnership under a partnership agreement, including a limited liability partnership, a limited liability company, or a corporation under the Professional Service Corporation Act or from pooling, sharing, dividing, or apportioning the fees and monies received by them or by the partnership, company, or corporation in accordance with the partnership agreement or the policies of the company or professional corporation. Nothing in this paragraph (L) affects any bona fide independent contractor or employment arrangements among health care professionals, health facilities, health care providers, or other entities, except as otherwise prohibited by law. Any employment arrangements may include provisions for compensation, health insurance, pension, or other employment benefits for the provision of services within the scope of the licensee's practice under this Act. Nothing in this paragraph (L) shall be construed to require an employment arrangement to receive professional fees for services rendered;

M. A finding by the Board that the licensee after having his or her license placed on probationary status has violated the terms of probation;

N. Abandonment of a patient;

O. Willfully failing to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;

P. Willfully failing to report an instance of suspected elder abuse or neglect as required by the Elder Abuse Reporting Act;

Q. Physical illness, including but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process, or loss of motor skill which results in the inability to practice the profession with reasonable judgement, skill or safety;

R. The use of any words (such as physical therapy, physical therapist physiotherapy or physiotherapist), abbreviations, figures or letters with the intention of indicating practice as a licensed physical therapist without a valid license as a physical therapist issued under this Act;

S. The use of the term physical therapist assistant, or abbreviations, figures, or letters with the intention of indicating practice as a physical therapist assistant without a valid license as a physical therapist assistant issued under this Act;

T. Willfully violating or knowingly assisting in the violation of any law of this State relating to the practice of abortion;

U. Continued practice by a person knowingly having an infectious, communicable or contagious disease;

V. Having treated ailments of human beings otherwise than by the practice of physical therapy as defined in this Act, or having treated ailments of human beings as a licensed physical therapist in violation of Section 1.2 independent of a documented referral or a documented current and relevant diagnosis from a physician, dentist, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric physician, or having failed to notify the physician, dentist, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric physician who established a documented current and relevant diagnosis that the patient is receiving physical therapy pursuant to that diagnosis;

W. Being named as a perpetrator in an indicated report by the Department of Children and Family Services pursuant to the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the licensee has caused a child to be an abused child or neglected child as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;

X. Interpretation of referrals, performance of evaluation procedures, planning or making major modifications of patient programs by a physical therapist assistant;

Y. Failure by a physical therapist assistant and supervising physical therapist to maintain continued contact, including periodic personal supervision and instruction, to insure safety and welfare of patients;

Z. Violation of the Health Care Worker Self-Referral Act.

(2) The determination by a circuit court that a licensee is subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission as provided in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code operates as an automatic suspension. Such suspension will end only upon a finding by a court that the patient is no longer subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission and the issuance of an order so finding and discharging the patient; and upon the recommendation of the Board to the Director that the licensee be allowed to resume his practice.

(3) The Department may refuse to issue or may suspend the license of any person who fails to file a return, or to pay the tax, penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of tax, penalty or interest, as required by any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are satisfied.

(Source: P.A. 100-513, eff. 1-1-18.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.