SB 6152
In CommitteeSenate
Workers' comp./PTs & OTs
Including physical and occupational therapists as attending providers for workers' compensation.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill expands the definition of 'attending provider' under Washington’s workers’ compensation system to include physical therapists and occupational therapists, allowing them to treat injured workers, certify claims, and be part of the state’s approved provider network. It also updates employer reporting duties, strengthens protections against claim suppression, and refines rules for managing the health care provider network.
- Physical and occupational therapists are added to the definition of 'attending provider' under workers' compensation law, allowing them to treat injured workers, certify claims, and be included in the state’s approved health care provider network.
- Employers must report workplace injuries to the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) when a worker receives treatment from a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or other approved providers, and is hospitalized, disabled, or dies as a result.
- The bill strengthens prohibitions against 'claim suppression'—such as encouraging workers not to report injuries—and clarifies that workplace safety programs and first aid do not count as suppression.
- The Department of Labor & Industries must establish a health care provider network with minimum quality standards, including criteria for malpractice history, licensing, and hospital privileges, and may create a second tier of high-performing providers with incentives.
- Injured workers may continue to choose their own providers (including physical and occupational therapists), but after the network is established in their area, non-network providers can only treat one initial visit and must accept L&I’s fee schedule as full payment.
Who is affected
- Injured workers — Workers who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses gain the right to receive medical care from physical therapists and occupational therapists as part of their workers' compensation treatment, including choosing these providers as their 'attending provider' and having their treatment certified for claims.
- Physical and occupational therapists — Physical and occupational therapists in Washington can now serve as 'attending providers' for workers' compensation claims, meaning they can treat injured workers, certify claims, and be included in the state’s approved health care provider network.
- Employers — Employers must report workplace injuries when workers receive treatment from physical or occupational therapists (among other providers), and are prohibited from discouraging injury reporting or misclassifying work injuries as non-work injuries.
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) — The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) gains authority to manage and oversee a network of approved health care providers—including physical and occupational therapists—and enforce quality standards, including removal of providers who provide low-quality care.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Expanding the definition of 'attending provider' to include physical and occupational therapists allows injured workers to receive timely, evidence-based rehabilitation from specialists trained in work-related injuries — improving functional outcomes, reducing chronic disability, and accelerating return-to-work timelines. This is especially beneficial for workers in physically demanding jobs (e.g., construction, manufacturing, healthcare) where early PT/OT intervention is critical to recovery.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1 (definition of 'attending provider')Strengthening prohibitions against claim suppression — including explicit definitions and placing the burden of proof on employers — deters coercive practices (e.g., telling workers to report injuries off-the-clock, discouraging filing, or misclassifying injuries), which disproportionately affect low-wage, immigrant, or non-English-speaking workers who are most vulnerable to employer pressure and least able to challenge retaliation.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 2(3)-(5) & Sec. 3(3)-(5)Establishing a provider network with quality standards (e.g., malpractice history, licensing, hospital privileges) and mechanisms to remove low-performing providers improves the reliability and safety of care for injured workers. The second-tier incentive structure for high-performing providers may drive up clinical quality and adherence to evidence-based occupational health guidelines, benefiting workers through more consistent, effective treatment.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 6(1), (2)(c)(i)-(vi), (6)-(9)Expanding Centers for Occupational Health and Education — with goals of 100% coverage by 2015 — promotes coordinated, multidisciplinary care focused on early return-to-work and disability prevention. These centers integrate providers (including PT/OT), use quality metrics, and offer incentives for best practices, which can reduce long-term disability costs and improve worker outcomes — particularly for high-risk injuries (e.g., back injuries, repetitive strain).
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 6(5)(a)-(g)By formalizing physical and occupational therapists as attending providers, the bill increases provider choice and competition in the workers’ compensation system, which can reduce wait times and improve access — especially for workers in high-demand sectors (e.g., logistics, healthcare, construction) where therapist availability is often limited. This may also reduce employer pressure on physicians to overprescribe opioids or unnecessary imaging, aligning care with value-based models.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 1, Sec. 2(1), Sec. 4(1)(a)
Potential Concerns (5)
The bill defines 'claim suppression' broadly and places the burden of proof on the employer to disprove suppression, which could chill legitimate workplace safety communications and first-aid protocols if employers fear misinterpretation or enforcement overreach. While the bill explicitly excludes bona fide safety programs and first aid, the ambiguity in defining these terms (to be set by rulemaking) may lead to self-censorship by employers, especially small businesses without legal counsel, who may avoid discussing injury reporting with workers to reduce liability risk.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 2(6) & Sec. 3(6)The bill expands employer reporting duties to include injuries treated by physical or occupational therapists when the worker is hospitalized, disabled, or dies — adding administrative burden for small employers who must track and report more incidents. While the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) will handle enforcement, compliance requires new internal tracking systems or staff time, particularly for businesses without HR departments or safety officers.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 2(1), Sec. 3(1)Once the provider network is established, injured workers can only see non-network providers for one initial visit, after which they must switch to a network provider — potentially disrupting continuity of care if the worker has already established trust with a preferred therapist outside the network. This could delay recovery or reduce satisfaction, especially in rural areas where network providers may be scarce or have long wait times.
HealthcareLean peopleRef: Sec. 6(2)(b)The bill allows injured workers to choose their own attending provider, including physical or occupational therapists, as long as the provider is conveniently located — preserving consumer autonomy in care selection. However, 'conveniently located' is undefined and may be interpreted restrictively by L&I, potentially limiting access in underserved regions.
HealthcareRef: Sec. 6(2)(a)The bill requires alternative credentialing criteria for providers not credentialed by other health plans, which could reduce access in areas with provider shortages (e.g., rural communities), as many qualified physical/occupational therapists may not meet the default credentialing standards (e.g., hospital privileges, malpractice thresholds). This may disproportionately affect smaller practices or newer providers.
HealthcareRef: Sec. 6(2)(c)(vi)
Who Is Most Affected
Injured workers benefit significantly: they gain access to qualified PT/OT providers as attending providers, stronger protections against employer coercion, and improved care coordination through the provider network. This is especially valuable for workers in physically demanding jobs where early rehabilitation is critical to recovery and return-to-work.
Physical and occupational therapists gain new scope of authority — they can now serve as attending providers, certify claims, and be reimbursed under the state network. This increases their role in the workers’ comp system and may expand patient volume, though it also brings new administrative and quality-assurance obligations.
Employers face increased reporting duties and stricter liability for claim suppression, which may raise compliance costs (especially for small businesses without legal counsel). However, they may benefit from improved care coordination and reduced long-term disability costs if the provider network improves outcomes and return-to-work rates.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries gains expanded authority to manage provider networks, enforce quality standards, and combat claim suppression. This increases its regulatory burden but aligns with its mission to ensure fair, safe, and effective workers’ compensation administration.