In this episode, APTA staff experts Rachel Miller, MPH, and Sharon West, JD, discuss how the final 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule will affect the physical therapy profession. 

They explain why physical therapists can expect an average 1.75% increase in payment under this fee schedule and provide important updates on telehealth and remote therapeutic monitoring. 

For more insights from APTA, read this news article, CMS Finalizes Fee Schedule Pay Bump for the First Time in 5 Years, and watch APTA's Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Updates webinar from Nov. 19. 

Staff referenced the following resources from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in this episode: 

• The Quality Payment Program Small Practices webpage. 
• CMS’ Ambulatory Specialty Model, aka ASM, webpage. 
• QPP’s Rehabilitative Support for Musculoskeletal Care MVP webpage.
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APTA continues to advocate for reforms to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to increase payment, reduce administrative burden, and provide more flexibility to both patients and providers. 



Sign up for the APTA Advocacy Network, a free, member-only service that sends you special legislative updates and action alerts so you're up to speed and ready to act. 

Contact APTA’s advocacy staff with questions related to this year’s fee schedule.  

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Stanley Hung, PT, PhD, about his recently published survey study, which looked at implementation factors for intensive rehabilitation within real-world inpatient stroke rehabilitation settings. George and Hung discuss the differences between the DOSE and Walk ‘n Watch trials, the potential inaccuracies of wearable technologies and monitors in clinical practice, and what other methods can be used in addition to survey methods in implementation science.  

Hung is co-author of the article “Real-World Experiences of Therapy Staff Implementing an Intensive Rehabilitation Protocol in Canadian Stroke Inpatient Rehabilitation Settings: A Multi-Site Survey Study.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.   

What do Americans really think about physical therapy—and what’s keeping more people from seeing a PT? In this episode of the APTA Podcast, host Alicia Hosmer sits down with APTA’s Drew Contreras and Emilio Rouco, as well as APTA’s research partners Shelly Adcock and Tam Nguyen from Penta Group, to unpack findings from APTA’s Consumer Perceptions Report. 

Hear how insights on awareness, access, and trust are shaping APTA’s national advocacy and public awareness strategies — including the new ChoosePT: PT for Future Me campaign — and what PTs and PTAs can do to help more Americans view physical therapy as a valuable, smart strategy to maintain lifelong movement and health. 

In this episode, Megan Brown, PT, DPT, details her journey from beginning her career as a physical therapist to founding her business Mind The Mat Pilates & Yoga. Gain practical advice for your career and finding your passion while gettinga preview of what Brown plans to share during her panel discussion “Unfiltered & Unlocked: 3 PTs on Building a Career You Love” at APTA CSM in Anaheim, California.   

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Gregory Hartley, PT, DPT, FAPTA, and Neva Kirk-Sanchez, PT, PhD, about their recently published perspective, which defines the health systems science framework and advocates for the framework to be a foundational pillar in physical therapy education. Listen as the authors discuss how the framework can contribute to better clinical outcomes, support the development of community-based interventions, and better prepare students to be leaders in health care. 

Hartley and Kirk-Sanchez are co-authors of the article “Educating for Impact: The Imperative of Health Systems Science in Physical Therapy.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.   

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Shane McClinton, PT, DPT, PhD, about his recently published study, which compared the cost-effectiveness of usual podiatry care plus physical therapy with podiatry care alone in the management of plantar heel pain. Listen as they discuss the inspiration for the study, the typical patient experience for those with plantar heel pain, and why it is important for researchers to consider economic analysis studies for physical therapy.   

McClinton is co-author of the article “Cost-Effectiveness of Physical Therapist Treatment in Addition to Usual Podiatry Management of Plantar Heel Pain: Economic Evaluation of a Randomized Clinical Trial.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.   

APTA is ushering in a historic change in physical therapy education: the merger of CAPTE and ABPTRFE into a single integrated accreditation body. This unification will streamline processes, reduce burdens on programs, and strengthen quality across the entire education continuum — from entry-level through residency and fellowship. In this podcast, APTA President Kyle Covington, PT, DPT, PhD, speaks with leaders guiding the transition about why now is the right time, how the merger supports innovation, and what it means for students, educators, and the future of our profession.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Andrew Hogan, PhD, about his recently published perspective on the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education standard requiring that at least 50% of core faculty in all physical therapist education programs hold an academic doctorate of PhD, EdD, or ScD. They discuss the history of the standard, why it could be a barrier to entry for faculty, and how academic physical therapy is unique compared to other fields.

Hogan is the author of the article “Credentialism and Barriers to Entry: A Historical and Sociological Analysis of the CAPTE 50 Percent Requirement for Physical Therapy Faculty With Academic Doctorates.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates. 

In this episode of the APTA Podcast, Justin Elliott, vice president of government affairs at APTA, and William Boissonnault, PT, DPT, DHSc, FAPTA, discuss APTA’s recent report on direct access to PT services. Boissonnault, a key contributor to the report, discusses the purpose of the report, its significance in today’s physical therapy profession and health care system, and how this evidence can be utilized to promote direct access policies at every level.  

Don't miss this informative discussion on the state of direct access and the importance of advocacy in the physical therapy profession. 

• Join the APTA Advocacy Network and read all the latest advocacy news.  
• From the episode: Read APTA’s “State of Direct Access to Physical Therapist Services” report and “The Economic Value of Physical Therapy in the United States” report. 
• From the episode: Use resources on APTA's consumer information website, ChoosePT.com, to help educate patients about physical therapy and direct access. 
• Register for the free APTA Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Updates Series (2025) for expert insights.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Shawn Farrokhi, PT, PhD, about winning the 2025 APTA Outstanding Research Award for the article “The Influence of Active, Passive, and Manual Therapy Interventions for Low Back Pain on Opioid Prescription and Health Care Utilization.” They discuss why the article was chosen for the award, how the Military Health System Repository was used as a data source, and how the study has impacted practice and patient care.

The APTA Outstanding Research Award encourages the publication of outstanding physical therapy research articles, including both foundational and clinical research impacting practice and patient care. Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn for more research updates.