[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 127 (Thursday, July 27, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S4568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 621. Mr. TILLIS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle B of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. ____. AUTHORIZATION OF PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS AND 
                   OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANTS TO PROVIDE 
                   SERVICES UNDER THE TRICARE PROGRAM.

       (a) Addition to List of Authorized Professional Providers 
     of Care.--The Secretary of Defense shall revise section 
     199.6(c) of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations, as in 
     effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, to add to 
     the list of individual professional providers of care who are 
     authorized to provide services to beneficiaries under the 
     TRICARE program, as defined in section 1072 of title 10, 
     United States Code, the following types of health care 
     practitioners:
       (1) Licensed or certified physical therapist assistants who 
     meet the qualifications for physical therapist assistants 
     specified in section 484.4 of title 42, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, or any successor regulation, to furnish services 
     under the supervision of a physical therapist.
       (2) Licensed or certified occupational therapy assistants 
     who meet the qualifications for occupational therapy 
     assistants specified in such section 484.4, or any successor 
     regulation, to furnish services under the supervision of an 
     occupational therapist.
       (b) Supervision.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
     in regulations requirements for the supervision of physical 
     therapist assistants and occupational therapy assistants, 
     respectively, by physical therapists and occupational 
     therapists, respectively.
       (c) Manuals and Other Guidance.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall update the CHAMPVA Policy Manual and other relevant 
     manuals and subregulatory guidance of the Department of 
     Defense to carry out the revisions and requirements of this 
     section.
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