WASHINGTON — The Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI) today announced WebPT as its first At-Large Member and strategic partner in effecting positive legislative and regulatory change to support the future of the physical therapy profession. The first issue the duo will take aim at is CMS’s 9% cut to Medicare payments for physical and occupational therapy services, which is currently set to take effect January 1, 2021.

APTQI, an aligned group of physical therapists and physical therapy practices who share a common vision for the future of physical therapy, and WebPT, the nation’s leading rehab therapy software platform, will unite their strengths to advocate for the profession in the areas of payment reform, quality initiatives, patient outcomes, and innovation. As an At-Large Member, WebPT will also contribute to APTQI advocacy efforts and events and serve on the APTQI Board of Directors.

“We look forward to working with the WebPT team to advance policy solutions that support the physical therapy profession and ensure patient access to therapy services in the outpatient setting, including the elimination of Medicare’s planned 9% cut to physical therapy payments in 2021,” said Nikesh Patel, PT, executive director of APTQI. “WebPT’s expertise and passion for the profession will enrich our advocacy efforts and strengthen our ability to achieve the policy outcomes needed to ensure our sector’s stability.”

WebPT is the most-trusted rehab therapy software platform in the industry, serving more than 80,000 rehab therapy professionals across more than 15,000 clinics nationwide. With 40% market share, WebPT not only provides rehab therapy businesses the tools they need to maximize performance, revenue, and patient outcomes but also supports rehab therapy advocacy efforts nationwide.

“WebPT has always been committed to giving a voice to the thousands of rehab therapy clinics that feel like they don’t get a vote or say in the legislation that impacts our profession,” said Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, co-founder and chief clinical officer of WebPT. “Joining forces with APTQI as the first At-Large Member will amplify our advocacy efforts to generate awareness for the issues affecting our industry the most — like CMS’s impending 9% cut.”

APTQI strongly opposes the across-the-board 9% cut to payments for physical and occupational therapy services presented in the Proposed Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Rule for CY2021. Therapy professionals across the country, joined by more than 90 bipartisan members of the U.S. House of Representatives, are calling on Congress to waive CMS’s budget neutrality requirements for the 2021 fiscal year, thus allowing the agency to move forward with payment changes for evaluation and management (E/M) services without reducing payments for PT and OT services.

“The 9% Medicare cut will significantly undermine patient access to rehab therapy services and seriously impact clinics’ revenue,” said Nancy Ham, CEO of WebPT. “Together with APTQI, we will take strong and decisive action against this payment cut to protect patients and ensure a sustainable future for our industry.”

“These cuts threaten the ability of vulnerable seniors to access the physical and occupational therapy services they need to manage their post-operative care, pain, immobility, and fall risk. They must be stopped,” Patel concluded.APTQI welcomes new members and strategic partners from across the profession who share its common vision for the future of physical and occupational therapy. To get involved in the fight against the 9% cut, visit aptqi.com/take-action.