Recent Press Releases

Thune, Klobuchar Bill to Provide Licensure Clarity for Sports Medicine Professionals Passes HELP Committee

Bipartisan legislation clarifies health services that sports medicine professionals can provide to an athlete, athletic team, or staff member outside the state of licensure

June 26, 2018

WASHINGTON — 

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today applauded the Senate Health, Labor, Education, and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s passage of the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act (S. 808), their bipartisan legislation that would eliminate the ambiguity that currently exists with licensure and malpractice insurance for covered sports medicine professionals traveling across state lines with an athletic team. Absent clarification, when these health care providers treat an injured player on the road, they are potentially putting themselves at professional and financial risk. 

“This bill is a win for both sports medicine professionals and the athletic communities they serve,” said Thune. “Providers who treat an injured athlete who is playing in a state outside of their state of licensure shouldn’t be subject to the risk that exists under current law.”

“Whether they’re working for a professional team or their local high school, sports medicine professionals should be able to treat athletes on the road without putting themselves at legal risk,” said Klobuchar. “Our common-sense legislation will allow sports medicine professionals to give athletes the care they need regardless of where their teams happen to be playing.”

S. 808 would allow covered sports medicine professionals to engage in the treatment of injured athletes across state lines, as long as they have an agreement in place with the team or athlete being treated and are performing services within the scope of practice of their state of licensure.