Florida HB 869: Physical Therapy Treatment Plans

Bill Text

HB 869 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb869-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to physical therapy treatment plans; 2
amending s. 486.021, F.S.; exempting specified 3
services from the requirement that the practitioner of 4
record review and sign a plan of treatment; providing 5
an effective date. 6
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
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Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (11) of section 10
486.021, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 11
486.021 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, unless the 12
context otherwise requires, the term: 13
(11) "Practice of physical therapy" means the performance 14
of physical therapy assessments and the treatment of any 15
disability, injury, disease, or other health condition of human 16
beings, or the prevention of such disability, injury, disease, 17
or other health condition, and the rehabilitation of such 18
disability, injury, disease, or other health condition by 19
alleviating impairments, functional movement limitations, and 20
disabilities by designing, implementing, and modifying treatment 21
interventions through therapeutic exercise; functional movement 22
training in self-management and in-home, community, or work 23
integration or reintegration; manual therapy; massage; airway 24
clearance techniques; maintaining and restoring the 25

HB 869 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb869-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

integumentary system and wound care; physical agent or modality; 26
mechanical or electrotherapeutic modality; patient-related 27
instruction; the use of apparatus and equipment in the 28
application of such treatment, prevention, or rehabilitation; 29
the performance of tests of neuromuscular functions as an aid to 30
the diagnosis or treatment of any human condition; or the 31
performance of electromyography as an aid to the diagnosis of 32
any human condition only upon compliance with the criteria set 33
forth by the Board of Medicine. 34
(a) A physical therapist may implement a plan of treatment 35
developed by the physical therapist for a patient or provided 36
for a patient by a practitioner of record or by an advanced 37
practice registered nurse licensed under s. 464.012. The 38
physical therapist shall refer the patient to or consult with a 39
practitioner of record if the patient's condition is found to be 40
outside the scope of physical therapy. If physical therapy 41
treatment for a patient is required beyond 30 days for a 42
condition not previously assessed by a practitioner of record, 43
the physical therapist shall have a practitioner of record 44
review and sign the plan. The requirement that a physical 45
therapist have a practitioner of record review and sign a plan 46
of treatment does not apply: 47
1. When a patient has been physically examined by a 48
physician licensed in another state, the patient has been 49
diagnosed by the physician as having a condition for which 50

HB 869 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb869-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

physical therapy is required, and the physical therapist is 51
treating the condition; or 52
2. To services provided for purposes of health promotion, 53
injury prevention, wellness, or fitness. 54
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For purposes of this paragraph, a health care practitioner 56
licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 57
461, or chapter 466 and engaged in active practice is eligible 58
to serve as a practitioner of record. 59
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 60