Physical Therapy Lobby Day

On May 18th, Mary Lou Corcoran, joined over 400 other physical therapists state-wide in traveling to Albany to speak with local representatives in both the senate and assembly regarding the passage of S.4321 (Breslin) / A.8171 (Cahill), bills designed to unburden the physical therapy patient of unfairly high co-pays.

Physical Therapists throughout New York State have been lobbying for the passage of these bills for over one year, hoping to lessen the financial impact that physical therapy has on those who need to attend physical therapy. Currently, the bill being proposed would limit a co-pay to be no greater than 20% of the total physical therapy bill, mandating that the insurance company pays their fair-share. In many cases, the passage of this bill would lead to a 75% reduction in the amount of money billed to a patient who needs physical therapy services.

Brandon Roth of NBC Channel 3 in Syracuse, covered the problems facing patients with high co-pays prior to lobby day:


With your help, New Yorkers can work to take back control of their insurance plans and cease this unfair business practice of managed care companies. We implore all New York residents to take action. If you would like to make your own voice heard you can:

1. Call, email, and write your state legislators and tell them you want LOWER physical therapy co-pays; ask for fair-co-pays and ask them to support of two bills in the State Legislature, S.4321 (Breslin) / A.8171 (Cahill), which will prevent managed care companies from requiring patients to pay these excessively high co-payments for PT.
2. Sign the NYAPTA's Online Petition here
3. Tell your employer and health plan you oppose these high co-pays for your physical therapy.
4. Write a letter to your local newspaper.
5. Call your local media and invite them to tour your practice and discuss these high co-pays.
6. Pass this information along to your coworkers, friends, and family.