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2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule Includes Two Major Wins for Therapy Providers

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1 year ago

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APTA advocacy leads to impactful policy wins that will reduce administrative burden, improve access, and provide more flexibility to the therapy workforce.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Reducing administrative burdens, ensuring patient access in rural and underserved areas, and providing flexibilities for a challenged therapy workforce have long been policy priorities for the American Physical Therapy Association. Now, with the recent release of the Centers for Medicare & Centers for Medicaid Services 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, some of these priorities are being adopted to better support physical therapists and physical therapist assistants and their role in improving the health of Medicare beneficiaries.

The 2025 fee schedule contains two significant policy wins for the physical therapy profession advocated for by APTA, in the areas of PTA supervision and plan of care certification.

Supervision of Physical Therapist Assistants: The supervision requirement for physical therapist assistants under Medicare Part B will change from the current outdated direct supervision requirement to general supervision. This change will finally align outpatient settings with the general supervision policies in place in all other Medicare settings. What’s more, 49 states already permit general supervision of PTAs under state licensure laws, meaning Medicare’s direct supervision requirement in the outpatient setting was more burdensome than most state licensure requirements. This change will provide more flexibility for the therapy workforce and ensure access to therapy services for millions of Medicare beneficiaries, especially in rural or underserved areas, where beneficiaries are 50% more likely to receive therapy from a PTA. The language in the final rule mirrors the APTA-backed legislation introduced in the 118th Congress, titled the EMPOWER Act, that would require CMS to make this long-advocated for change.

Therapy Plan of Care Certification Requirement Reform: An exemption is being provided to the current burdensome plan of care signature requirement for outpatient therapy services provided under referral from a physician. Under current CMS policy, physical therapists are required to send their plans of care to the referring physician, who has 30 days to sign off on the services that the referring physician ordered in the first place. If the 30-day deadline is approaching and the physician still hasn’t returned the signed plan of care, it has been up to the physical therapist to obtain that signature. Without it, the PT is faced with not being paid by Medicare or stopping patient treatment, which can result in interruptions in care. Under the new exemption, the plan of care certification signature requirement will be deemed satisfied if the physical therapist simply submits the plan of care to the patient’s referring physician within 30 days of the initial evaluation; PTs no longer need to obtain the physician’s signature. This change comes after APTA advocacy during the CMS comment period and mirrors the APTA-backed legislation introduced in Congress, titled the REDUCE Act.

“After years of advocacy, APTA is pleased that CMS has finally responded to our recommendations to improve patient access to essential therapist services and ease administrative burden at a time when physical therapy practices are struggling, given the year-over-year cuts to the fee schedule,” said APTA President Roger Herr, PT, MPA. “The change in supervision requirements enables PTAs to practice at the top of their license, acknowledging their crucial role in patient care and support to therapy clinics. Reducing unnecessary administrative plan of care requirements allows PTs to focus on patient care instead of paperwork. These two policy changes in the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule are critical to supporting physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.”

The 2025 rule also finalized a reduction to the fee schedule’s conversion factor. As in previous years, the budget-neutral policy has led to another cut to the conversion factor that impacts all providers paid under the physician fee schedule, including physical therapists. Unless Congress intervenes — which it has done several times in past years — the 2025 conversion factor will be $32.3562, a 2.83% decrease from 2024.

It is now up to Congress to stop the impending 2.83% cut from being implemented in January 2025. In a bipartisan effort to address this, APTA-supported legislation, the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, was introduced in the U.S. House on Oct. 29. If enacted, it would provide a 4.73% payment boost to the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule’s conversion factor.

“The continued reduction to payment for therapy services under the fee schedule underscores the need to overhaul Medicare’s Physician Fee Schedule, and APTA will keep up the fight to advocate for full-scale reform,” Herr added. 

The American Physical Therapy Association represents more than 100,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapy students nationwide. Visit apta.org to learn more.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2025-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-final-rule-includes-two-major-wins-for-therapy-providers-302294523.html

SOURCE American Physical Therapy Association

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EX3 Accelerates APAC Expansion with Malaysia Growth Milestone and SAP Partnership

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30 minutes ago

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April 21, 2026

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LONDON and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — EX3 today announced a significant milestone in its Asia-Pacific (APAC) growth journey, marked by continued expansion in Malaysia, a newly formalised SAP partnership, and further investment in regional leadership.

As part of its broader APAC growth strategy, EX3 has strengthened its presence in Malaysia, with headcount increasing to 21 employees—an addition of four new team members in the last six months alone, with additional two expected by end of May 2026. This growth reflects sustained demand for EX3’s expertise in delivering end-to-end HR and payroll transformation programmes across the region.

In parallel, EX3 has been officially inducted as an SAP Partner in Malaysia, with a dedicated focus on Human Capital Management (HCM) and Payroll. This milestone represents a strategic step forward, reinforcing EX3’s capability to deliver enhanced value to clients through deeper alignment with SAP technologies and innovation.

The SAP partnership is central to EX3’s regional ambitions, enabling the organisation to scale its delivery and sales capabilities across Malaysia and the wider APAC market. By combining SAP’s leading cloud solutions with EX3’s agile, AI-powered delivery approach, the company is well-positioned to support organisations navigating complex HR and payroll transformations.

Sam Garwood, Chief Revenue Officer at EX3, commented:
“Our SAP partnership represents a key enabler for our go-to-market strategy across APAC. With Malaysia at the centre of our regional operations, we are building a scalable, high-impact GTM engine that allows us to bring EX3’s full capabilities to market with greater speed and precision. This positions us strongly to capture growing demand for HR and payroll transformation across the region.”

Looking ahead, EX3 will continue to invest in its regional leadership team, including the upcoming appointment of a new Head of Sales for APAC. This role will be instrumental in driving continued growth, strengthening client relationships, and expanding EX3’s footprint across key markets.

Jas Rai, CEO of EX3, added:
“EX3 is on a strong global growth trajectory, and our expansion in APAC is a critical part of that journey. Malaysia plays a pivotal role in enabling that growth—both as a centre of delivery excellence and as a strategic hub for the region. As we continue to scale, our investment in Malaysia will help us accelerate our broader ambitions and deliver even greater value to clients globally.”

About EX3

EX3 is a global provider of end-to-end SAP Payroll and HR transformation, combining strategic advisory with outcome-based support and managed services to streamline global operations for organizations worldwide. With offices in the UK, Malaysia, and India, EX3 delivers modern, scalable, and innovative solutions that help clients transform how they manage HR and payroll operations.

https://www.weareex3.com/ 

Media Contact:
Sach Dhanjal
Senior Marketing Manager, EX3
sach.dhanjal@weareex3.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2957617/EX3_Logo.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ex3-accelerates-apac-expansion-with-malaysia-growth-milestone-and-sap-partnership-302745004.html

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EX3 Accelerates APAC Expansion with Malaysia Growth Milestone and SAP Partnership

Published

30 minutes ago

on

April 21, 2026

By

LONDON and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — EX3 today announced a significant milestone in its Asia-Pacific (APAC) growth journey, marked by continued expansion in Malaysia, a newly formalised SAP partnership, and further investment in regional leadership.

As part of its broader APAC growth strategy, EX3 has strengthened its presence in Malaysia, with headcount increasing to 21 employees—an addition of four new team members in the last six months alone, with additional two expected by end of May 2026. This growth reflects sustained demand for EX3’s expertise in delivering end-to-end HR and payroll transformation programmes across the region.

In parallel, EX3 has been officially inducted as an SAP Partner in Malaysia, with a dedicated focus on Human Capital Management (HCM) and Payroll. This milestone represents a strategic step forward, reinforcing EX3’s capability to deliver enhanced value to clients through deeper alignment with SAP technologies and innovation.

The SAP partnership is central to EX3’s regional ambitions, enabling the organisation to scale its delivery and sales capabilities across Malaysia and the wider APAC market. By combining SAP’s leading cloud solutions with EX3’s agile, AI-powered delivery approach, the company is well-positioned to support organisations navigating complex HR and payroll transformations.

Sam Garwood, Chief Revenue Officer at EX3, commented:
“Our SAP partnership represents a key enabler for our go-to-market strategy across APAC. With Malaysia at the centre of our regional operations, we are building a scalable, high-impact GTM engine that allows us to bring EX3’s full capabilities to market with greater speed and precision. This positions us strongly to capture growing demand for HR and payroll transformation across the region.”

Looking ahead, EX3 will continue to invest in its regional leadership team, including the upcoming appointment of a new Head of Sales for APAC. This role will be instrumental in driving continued growth, strengthening client relationships, and expanding EX3’s footprint across key markets.

Jas Rai, CEO of EX3, added:
“EX3 is on a strong global growth trajectory, and our expansion in APAC is a critical part of that journey. Malaysia plays a pivotal role in enabling that growth—both as a centre of delivery excellence and as a strategic hub for the region. As we continue to scale, our investment in Malaysia will help us accelerate our broader ambitions and deliver even greater value to clients globally.”

About EX3

EX3 is a global provider of end-to-end SAP Payroll and HR transformation, combining strategic advisory with outcome-based support and managed services to streamline global operations for organizations worldwide. With offices in the UK, Malaysia, and India, EX3 delivers modern, scalable, and innovative solutions that help clients transform how they manage HR and payroll operations.

https://www.weareex3.com/ 

Media Contact:
Sach Dhanjal
Senior Marketing Manager, EX3
sach.dhanjal@weareex3.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2957617/EX3_Logo.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ex3-accelerates-apac-expansion-with-malaysia-growth-milestone-and-sap-partnership-302745004.html

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World Micro Tees Up for Angel Flight Soars on May 13, 2026

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30 minutes ago

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April 21, 2026

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ROSWELL, Ga., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — To support the critical need for specialized medical care requiring distant travel, World Micro is proud to announce its participation as an Angelic Hole Sponsor for the 2026 Atlanta Tournament of Angels. This annual charity golf tournament directly benefits Angel Flight Soars, a nonprofit organization based out of Peachtree Dekalb Airport in Chamblee, GA.

Angel Flight Soars provides free air transportation for individuals in need of medical care or other critical services. By coordinating volunteer pilots and donated flight resources, the organization helps remove transportation barriers, ensuring patients can access life-saving treatments, specialized care, and humanitarian support.

To secure a sponsorship or learn more about participation in this impactful event, visit Tournament of Angels

“As an Angelic Hole Sponsor for the 2026 Atlanta Tournament of Angels, World Micro is proud to stand behind Angel Flight Soars, a local nonprofit in our community, and support their mission of providing essential, free air transportation for individuals who must travel far from home for specialized medical care,” said Lauren Brown, Director of Business Development.

Supporting Critical Medical Air Transportation

The 2026 Atlanta Tournament of Angels brings together community members and organizations to contribute to a vital cause. Every shot taken during the tournament helps provide essential air transportation for patients requiring specialized medical care far from their homes. This support ensures that geographical distance does not hinder access to critical treatments.

Event Details and Community Impact

The 2026 Atlanta Tournament of Angels will take place on May 13, 2026, at the Chateau Elan Golf Club. As an Angelic Hole Sponsor, World Micro underscores the profound impact of community support for services like those provided by Angel Flight Soars. The tournament offers a unique opportunity for individuals and organizations to contribute to a cause that provides essential medical air transportation, ensuring patients can access critical care regardless of distance. 

About World Micro

World Micro is a global distributor specializing in electronic components and supply chain solutions for military, aerospace, industrial, and high-reliability applications. With a focus on speed, service, and dependable fulfillment, World Micro supports customers worldwide with responsive sourcing, logistics expertise, and value-added distribution services.

Learn more at www.worldmicro.com.

For pricing and inquiries, please contact World Micro at:
Email: info@worldmicro.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-micro-tees-up-for-angel-flight-soars-on-may-13-2026-302748030.html

SOURCE World Micro

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