Facebook X-twitter Instagram Linkedin
Donate To The PAC
JOIN / RENEW
LOG IN

Summary of APTA RI Town Hall Meeting on April 2

Date: 4/2/2026
Location: Virtual

Led by: Tracy Gannon, APTA Rhode Island President

Key Speakers

  • Yvonne Swanson, APTA Rhode Island Vice President and Payment Chair
  • Greg Doucette, Legislative Director for APTA Rhode Island
  • Dan Macera, Treasurer for APTA Rhode Island and Federal Affairs Liaison
  • Erin Sayles, Chief Delegate for APTA Rhode Island

Recorder:     Kenneth Vinacco, Secretary for APTA Rhode Island

Questions submitted:

  • Any progress or relief in sight for Medicare Advantage Plans and dealing with pre-authorizations moving forward? – Jason Ulisse
  • Pressure points for my organization are prior authorization requirements; legislative activities around compact licensure, more local continuing education opportunities- Sarah Baer
  • I’ve been very intrigued and curious about primary care PT and the opportunity we may have in Rhode Island for expanding PT services within the realm of primary care, especially given the primary care physician challenges we face here. Curious about any initiatives we may be able to bring, whether volunteer screening or assessing, to show impact we may have during annual visits or add’l opportunities – Alexandra Gustafson

APTA Rhode Island Payment Initiatives

  • Tracy Gannon, APTA Rhode Island President, opened a town hall meeting with 21 attendees to discuss payment and legislation initiatives.
  • Yvonne Swanson, APTA RI Vice President and Payment Chair, outlined key payment initiatives including two-way communication with members, data collection on member impacts, regular website updates on policy changes, and development of key contact lists with insurance companies.
  • The payment committee is also working to improve visibility at physical therapy schools and ensure correct coding practices across the profession. Recently visiting CCRI PTA program and the URI and JWU PT programs.
  • Yvonne discussed how this is an exciting time for APTA with payment being one of the major priorities for APTA National.

Key Resources:

Webinar/Meetings:

Resources:

 

Rhode Island APTA Advocacy Update

  • Greg Doucette, Legislative Director for APTA Rhode Island, provided an update on advocacy efforts, highlighting successful legislation including imaging expansion and compact passage, with ongoing work to implement compact privileges.
  • Greg will be attending a conference with FSBT in Alexandria, VA next week to learn more about overcoming barriers at the state level. The goal is to get these privileges ASAP. The current focus is on payment and prior authorization reform, with two bills introduced for co-pay parity and limiting prior authorizations to 12 visits. Waiting on this to be passed through the senate.
  • The group discussed challenges with prior authorization requirements from insurance companies, with Yvonne Swanson explained their shift toward legislative advocacy after finding that direct negotiations with insurance companies had been unsuccessful over the past 4-5 years.
  • The discussion highlighted the importance of gathering specific provider experiences to build a stronger case for change, with Yvonne encouraging members to share their pain points so she could aggregate data and advocate on behalf of the membership.
  • PT Day on the Hill event is scheduled for April 30th, 3-5pm, followed by a social gathering, where members are encouraged to engage with legislators and share stories about barriers to care. The social gathering will take place at The East End, 244 Wickenden St Providence, RI 02903.
  • The organization is also expanding continuing education opportunities through special interest groups, with multiple events planned for the coming months.

Key Resources:

Key Action Items:

  • All members: Consider submitting written testimony on prior authorization and copay parity bills, and reach out to Greg or Yvonne for guidance on language.
  • All members: Reach out to Yvonne Swanson with specific prior authorization pain points and insurer issues to help aggregate data for advocacy efforts.
  • All members: Contact their local legislators to build relationships and support legislative initiatives, especially around payment and prior authorization.
  • All SIG chairs: Continue planning and executing 2-3 continuing education opportunities/year
  • All members: Attend PT Hill Day, consider contributing to PT PAC to increase legislative influence.

Physical Therapy Policy and Advocacy

The group discussed two main topics:

  1. Prior authorization reform
  2. Primary care physical therapy services.
  3. Dan presented APTA’s new collaborative policy framework on prior authorization, which includes 14 policy principles focused on transparency, evidence-based standards, and standardization of authorization systems.
  4. Reviewed the limitation on federal loans for PTs at $20,500/year.
  5. Dan is trying to build a list of therapists who are passionate about legislation and have connections with different legislators.
  6. Tracy shared plans for upcoming balance screening events at YMCAs in October, aiming to attract media coverage to showcase physical therapy value.
  7. The discussion then shifted to primary care physical therapy, with Greg explaining their legislative strategy of using the term “entry-level provider” instead of “primary care provider” to address concerns from medical professionals, while Dan noted that Rhode Island’s delegates are aware of the state’s provider shortage and see this as an opportunity to advocate for physical therapists to fill gaps in musculoskeletal care.

Key Resources:

Key Action Items:

  • Dan: Post the collaborative policy framework on prior authorization (including the 14 policy principles) on the Rhode Island APTA website for member access.
  • Dan: Recruit additional key contacts for federal and state legislative relationships; members interested should reach out to Dan.
  • Tracy/Yvonne: Continue outreach to local news media (e.g., Channel 10, Channel 12) to increase public awareness of PT value and access issues, especially for upcoming balance screening events.

Rhode Island Physical Therapy Updates

  • Highlighted Rhode Island’s direct access status for physical therapy, which has been in place for about 30 years, and ongoing efforts to improve insurance coverage and payment structures.
  • Yvonne and Tracy discussed APTA’s initiatives, including collaboration with neighboring states and a new board certification in primary care physical therapy.
  • Dan provided updates on upcoming Hill Day activities, emphasizing the focus on repealing MPPR and addressing proposed changes to federal loan programs that could impact new physical therapy graduates. He also encouraged attendees to volunteer as key contacts to build relationships with local delegates.

Key Resources:

Advocacy Strategies for RI Physical Therapy

  • Barbara Ann Fenton Fung, a former legislator, provided insights on effective advocacy at the Rhode Island State House, emphasizing the importance of building relationships with legislators through targeted events and financial support from the physical therapy profession.
  • She recommended that the Rhode Island Physical Therapy Association (RIPTA) increase its visibility and engagement with state representatives, suggesting a shift from lobbying to PR-focused approaches.
  • Tracy acknowledged these recommendations and highlighted ongoing efforts to build relationships with key legislative leaders, including recent meetings with the Speaker of the House and Senate leadership.
  • Erin Sayles, the current Chief Delegate for Rhode Island, provided an update on the upcoming House of Delegates meeting in July, noting that motions are currently under review, particularly regarding changes to how physical therapists are defined in health and wellness contexts.

Key Action Items

  • APTA RI Board: Continue to review and update Rhode Island APTA website links for clarity for legislators and members.
  • Erin and Greg: Attend the House of Delegates in July and report back on motions and outcomes relevant to Rhode Island.
  • Yvonne/Tracy: Attend the Payment Summit, learn best practices, and bring back information to share with the chapter.