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| Public Act 100-0418 |
| SB0898 Enrolled | LRB100 05745 SMS 15768 b |
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AN ACT concerning regulation. |
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, |
represented in the General Assembly: |
Section 5. The Illinois Insurance Code is amended by adding |
Section 356z.25 as follows: |
(215 ILCS 5/356z.25 new) |
Sec. 356z.25. Dry needling by a physical therapist. A group |
or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a |
qualified health plan offered through the health insurance |
market place is not required to provide coverage for dry |
needling performed by a physical therapist as described in |
Section 1.5 of the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. |
Section 10. The Illinois Physical Therapy Act is amended by |
changing Section 1 and by adding Section 1.5 as follows: |
(225 ILCS 90/1) (from Ch. 111, par. 4251) |
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026) |
Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act: |
(1) "Physical therapy" means all of the following: |
(A) Examining, evaluating, and testing individuals who |
may have mechanical, physiological, or developmental |
impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or |
other health and movement-related conditions, classifying |
these disorders, determining a rehabilitation prognosis |
and plan of therapeutic intervention, and assessing the |
on-going effects of the interventions. |
(B) Alleviating impairments, functional limitations, |
or disabilities by designing, implementing, and modifying |
therapeutic interventions that may include, but are not |
limited to, the evaluation or treatment of a person through |
the use of the effective properties of physical measures |
and heat, cold, light, water, radiant energy, electricity, |
sound, and air and use of therapeutic massage, therapeutic |
exercise, mobilization, and rehabilitative procedures, |
with or without assistive devices, for the purposes of |
preventing, correcting, or alleviating a physical or |
mental impairment, functional limitation, or disability. |
(C) Reducing the risk of injury, impairment, |
functional limitation, or disability, including the |
promotion and maintenance of fitness, health, and |
wellness. |
(D) Engaging in administration, consultation, |
education, and research. |
"Physical therapy" includes, but is not limited to: (a) |
performance of specialized tests and measurements, (b) |
administration of specialized treatment procedures, (c) |
interpretation of referrals from physicians, dentists, |
advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and podiatric |
physicians, (d) establishment, and modification of physical |
therapy treatment programs, (e) administration of topical |
medication used in generally accepted physical therapy |
procedures when such medication is either prescribed by the |
patient's physician, licensed to practice medicine in all its |
branches, the patient's physician licensed to practice |
podiatric medicine, the patient's advanced practice nurse, the |
patient's physician assistant, or the patient's dentist or used |
following the physician's orders or written instructions, and |
(f) supervision or teaching of physical therapy, and (g) dry |
needling in accordance with Section 1.5. Physical therapy does |
not include radiology, electrosurgery, chiropractic technique |
or determination of a differential diagnosis; provided, |
however, the limitation on determining a differential |
diagnosis shall not in any manner limit a physical therapist |
licensed under this Act from performing an evaluation pursuant |
to such license. Nothing in this Section shall limit a physical |
therapist from employing appropriate physical therapy |
techniques that he or she is educated and licensed to perform. |
A physical therapist shall refer to a licensed physician, |
advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, dentist, |
podiatric physician, other physical therapist, or other health |
care provider any patient whose medical condition should, at |
the time of evaluation or treatment, be determined to be beyond |
the scope of practice of the physical therapist. |
(2) "Physical therapist" means a person who practices |
physical therapy and who has met all requirements as provided |
in this Act. |
(3) "Department" means the Department of Professional |
Regulation. |
(4) "Director" means the Director of Professional |
Regulation. |
(5) "Board" means the Physical Therapy Licensing and |
Disciplinary Board approved by the Director. |
(6) "Referral" means a written or oral authorization for |
physical therapy services for a patient by a physician, |
dentist, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or |
podiatric physician who maintains medical supervision of the |
patient and makes a diagnosis or verifies that the patient's |
condition is such that it may be treated by a physical |
therapist. |
(7) "Documented current and relevant diagnosis" for the |
purpose of this Act means a diagnosis, substantiated by |
signature or oral verification of a physician, dentist, |
advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric |
physician, that a patient's condition is such that it may be |
treated by physical therapy as defined in this Act, which |
diagnosis shall remain in effect until changed by the |
physician, dentist, advanced practice nurse, physician |
assistant, or podiatric physician. |
(8) "State" includes: |
(a) the states of the United States of America; |
(b) the District of Columbia; and |
(c) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. |
(9) "Physical therapist assistant" means a person licensed |
to assist a physical therapist and who has met all requirements |
as provided in this Act and who works under the supervision of |
a licensed physical therapist to assist in implementing the |
physical therapy treatment program as established by the |
licensed physical therapist. The patient care activities |
provided by the physical therapist assistant shall not include |
the interpretation of referrals, evaluation procedures, or the |
planning or major modification of patient programs. |
(10) "Physical therapy aide" means a person who has |
received on the job training, specific to the facility in which |
he is employed. |
(11) "Advanced practice nurse" means a person licensed as |
an advanced practice nurse under the Nurse Practice Act. |
(12) "Physician assistant" means a person licensed under |
the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. |
(Source: P.A. 98-214, eff. 8-9-13; 99-173, eff. 7-29-15; |
99-229, eff. 8-3-15; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16; revised 10-27-16.) |
(225 ILCS 90/1.5 new) |
Sec. 1.5. Dry needling. |
(a) For the purpose of this Act, "dry needling", also known |
as intramuscular therapy, means an advanced needling skill or |
technique limited to the treatment of myofascial pain, using a |
single use, single insertion, sterile filiform needle (without |
the use of heat, cold, or any other added modality or |
medication), that is inserted into the skin or underlying |
tissues to stimulate trigger points. Dry needling may apply |
theory based only upon Western medical concepts, requires an |
examination and diagnosis, and treats specific anatomic |
entities selected according to physical signs. Dry needling |
does not include the stimulation of auricular points, |
utilization of distal points or non-local points, needle |
retention, application of retained electric stimulation leads, |
or the teaching or application of other acupuncture theory. |
(b) A physical therapist licensed under this Act may only |
perform dry needling under the following conditions as |
determined by the Department by rule: |
(1) Prior to completion of the education under |
paragraph (2) of this subsection, successful completion of |
50 hours of instruction in the following areas: |
(A) the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular system; |
(B) the anatomical basis of pain mechanisms, |
chronic pain, and referred pain; |
(C) myofascial trigger point theory; and |
(D) universal precautions. |
(2) Completion of at least 30 hours of didactic course |
work specific to dry needling. |
(3) Successful completion of at least 54 practicum |
hours in dry needling course work approved by the |
Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy or its |
successor (or substantial equivalent), as determined by |
the Department. Each instructional course shall specify |
what anatomical regions are included in the instruction and |
describe whether the course offers introductory or |
advanced instruction in dry needling. Each instruction |
course shall include the following areas: |
(A) dry needling technique; |
(B) dry needling indications and |
contraindications; |
(C) documentation of dry needling; |
(D) management of adverse effects; |
(E) practical psychomotor competency; and |
(F) the Occupational Safety and Health |
Administration's Bloodborne Pathogens standard. |
Postgraduate classes qualifying for completion of the |
mandated 54 hours of dry needling shall be in one or more |
modules, with the initial module being no fewer than 27 |
hours, and therapists shall complete at least 54 hours in |
no more than 12 months. |
(4) Completion of at least 200 patient treatment |
sessions under supervision as determined by the Department |
by rule. |
(5) Successful completion of a competency examination |
as approved by the Department. |
Each licensee is responsible for maintaining records of the |
completion of the requirements of this subsection (b) and shall |
be prepared to produce such records upon request by the |
Department. |
(c) A newly-licensed physical therapist shall not practice |
dry needling for at least one year from the date of initial |
licensure unless the practitioner can demonstrate compliance |
with subsection (b) through his or her pre-licensure |
educational coursework. |
(d) Dry needling may only be performed by a licensed |
physical therapist and may not be delegated to a physical |
therapist assistant or support personnel. |
(e) A physical therapist shall not advertise, describe to |
patients or the public, or otherwise represent that dry |
needling is acupuncture, nor shall he or she represent that he |
or she practices acupuncture unless separately licensed under |
the Acupuncture Practice Act. |
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
becoming law.
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