REHAB 2030 | THE PLAYBOOK Ep. 4
Guest:
Michael Matlack is a lobbyist for the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the director of its political action committee, the PT-PAC. He has spent years in advocacy, working to educate members of Congress and their staff about physical therapy, healthcare policies, and issues that affect the profession.
Key Topics & Timestamps:
00:20 – 01:23: Video introduction and setting the stage for discussing the future of the physical therapy industry leading up to 2030.
01:24 – 03:48: Michael Matlack's background, his role as a lobbyist, and the critical importance of physical therapists educating members of Congress.
03:49 – 06:30: Where the physical therapy profession stands in advocacy compared to physician groups, and leveraging patient relationships as a unique asset.
06:31 – 11:13: Medicare payment reform, upcoming reimbursement cuts, active legislative pushes (MPPR repeal, MEI inflationary indexing), and updating quality measurement systems (MIPS/APMs).
11:14 – 13:29: Direct access under Medicare, physical therapists as primary care for musculoskeletal issues, and addressing pushback from the physician community.
13:30 – 18:33: Reimbursement challenges under Medicare Advantage plans, prior authorization issues, and how Medicare policies trickle down to private insurance.
18:36 – 20:52: Holding private insurance companies accountable and coordinating efforts through state chapters and the APTA private payment division.
21:05 – 26:18: The pipeline and student loan crisis, detailing the policy change shifting physical therapy from "professional degree status" to "graduate level" and cutting loan limits from $50,000 to $20,000.
26:19 – 31:58: Long-term industry outlook toward 2030, practice consolidation, rural access problems, the legislative scoring hurdles of healthcare bills, and the state of partisan politics on Capitol Hill.
31:59 – 36:57: The role of private equity and large corporations in physical therapy advocacy, and the value of presenting a single unified voice to legislators.
36:58 – 40:47: Actionable advice for practices to survive beyond 2030, including joining the APTA advocacy network, becoming key contacts, and contributing to the PT-PAC.
40:48 – 43:47: Closing remarks on balancing patient care with political advocacy, and an invitation to share the episode.
