Occupational Therapist Prescribe Medical Equipment
Summary
House Bill 25-1016 amends Colorado’s occupational therapy law to expressly allow a licensed occupational therapist to directly recommend and prescribe durable medical equipment to a patient without first obtaining a prescription from a licensed physician. The bill also requires the prescribing occupational therapist to consult with the patient about payment options for the equipment. In effect, it expands the scope of occupational therapy practice by adding durable medical equipment prescribing authority to the statutory definition of occupational therapy.
The measure is framed as a professional practice and patient-access bill rather than a broad health care overhaul. It would change the Colorado Revised Statutes governing occupational therapists and would likely streamline access to items such as mobility aids, adaptive devices, and other durable medical equipment when recommended by an occupational therapist. The bill takes effect after the standard post-adjournment period unless referred to the voters through a referendum petition.
Overall sentiment around the bill appears favorable. It passed key stages with strong margins, including unanimous or near-unanimous committee action in both chambers and a 34-0 Senate third reading vote. The House initially had some procedural resistance on third reading, but the bill ultimately advanced and the House later concurred in the Senate amendments by a wide margin, suggesting broad bipartisan support for the underlying policy.
The main point of contention appears to have been procedural rather than substantive. The House recorded a 45-17 third reading vote and a separate 20-41 vote on a rerefer motion, indicating some members preferred additional committee review or a different path forward. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed policy objections, but the vote history suggests the bill’s core concept was generally accepted while some legislators may have had concerns about scope, oversight, or implementation of prescribing authority for occupational therapists.
Impact
The bill amends Colorado Revised Statutes section 12-270-104 to expand the statutory definition of occupational therapy by adding authority for occupational therapists to directly recommend and prescribe durable medical equipment without a physician prescription. This affects licensed occupational therapists, patients who need assistive or durable medical equipment, and potentially insurers or suppliers involved in equipment reimbursement and fulfillment. It also imposes a consultation duty on the therapist regarding payment options, which may influence billing and access practices.
Sentiment
The bill’s legislative history shows broad support and little overt opposition. It moved through committee with unanimous votes, cleared the Senate unanimously on third reading, and ultimately received strong House concurrence on the Senate amendments. The only notable resistance appears in an earlier House procedural vote, suggesting some hesitation about process rather than the policy itself.
Contention
The principal contention was whether the bill should proceed directly or be rereferred for further consideration, as reflected in the House’s 20-41 vote against rereferral. That suggests some lawmakers wanted additional scrutiny of expanding occupational therapists’ prescribing authority. However, there is no transcript evidence of specific objections, and the final votes indicate that any concerns about scope of practice, patient safety, or implementation were not enough to block the bill.