Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) held a conference call on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Payment and Coverage Policies. During the phone call, the presenter stated that according to hospital conditions of participation that IRFs must meet, students do not have a role in providing therapy or therapy minutes to patients, even under direct supervision of the licensed therapist. The presenter cited

On December 12, 2017, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. One important piece of legislation included in the NDAA directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to add physical therapist assistants (PTAs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) to the TRICARE program as an eligible provider of therapy services. So, does this mean in 2019 that PTAs and OTAs can now treat TRICARE beneficiaries and have their services billed to and paid by the TRICARE program? Even though the NDAA is now law, the DOD must now make the change to add PTAs and OTAs as eligible

A question I have been receiving lately is must a physician sign a therapists discharge report for Medicare beneficiaries receiving outpatient therapy services? In addition, must a physician sign a therapists discharge report for patients who have a commercial insurance or are being seen under workers compensation? The answer for Medicare Part B outpatient therapy services is