Background Physical and occupational therapy has grown significantly from 1965 to 2023. Despite this growth, challenges related to Medicare and accessibility remain for both professions, impacting their ability to serve all populations effectively. This research aims to investigate the distribution of physical and occupational therapists at the county, state, and national levels. The project seeks to identify factors contributing to disparities in therapist distribution and explore the consequences of underserved areas lacking sufficient resources in these fields. Methods The data utilized in this research study were sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2023. The number of physical and occupational therapists enrolled in Medicare was analyzed nationally and statewide via proportion tests. Pearson regression models compared the relationship between physical and occupational therapists in the United States and Ohio. The trend in practicing rehabilitation therapists was explored by graduation year. Results Approximately 229,740/364,720 (63.0%) of rehabilitation therapists were physical therapists nationally. However, 74,836/86,373 (86.6%) of rehabilitation therapists enrolled in Medicare were physical therapists (P<0.001). Additionally, on a state level, there were significantly fewer counties in Ohio that had at least one occupational therapist (P<0.05). There was a significant relationship between physical therapists and occupational therapists nationally (P<0.001, R=0.95) and in Ohio (P<0.001, R=0.89). The number of graduating physical therapists who practice in Ohio has increased significantly faster than occupational therapists (P<0.01). Conclusion When comparing physical and occupational therapists, there is a significant disparity in the number of these healthcare professionals registered with Medicare. The lower enrollment rate of occupational therapists in Medicare contributes to reduced accessibility to their services within the healthcare system. This limitation hinders certain populations from receiving assistance with their daily tasks. In contrast, the availability of physical therapists is increasing, potentially improving accessibility to their services with Medicare.