New state law allows physical therapy without doctor referral.

The article provides information on the Consumer Access to Physical Therapy bill signed into law by New York State Governor George Pataki. Under the state law, New York patients who need physical therapy can go directly to their therapist without a referral from a physician. According to R. Scott Ward, president of the American Physical Therapy Association, direct access helps to remove unnecessary barriers to health care and gives consumers a choice in assessing physical-therapist services.