UnitedHealthcare Commercial has updated their medical policy for Cognitive Rehabilitation with an effective date of March 1, 2019. This updated medical policy impacts cognitive rehabilitation services provided by physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists. To access the updated medical policy, log into your Gold Member account and click

Effective January 1, 2019, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists in private practice (submit claims on a 1500 claim form) are able to participate in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for Performance Year 2019. If an individual therapist exceeds all 3 of the low-volume thresholds during both determination periods, they will be required to participate in MIPS in 2019. But what if as an individual, not one therapist in a practice exceeds all 3 of the low-volume thresholds during both determination periods, but the group does. Must the group then participate in MIPS in 2019? The answer is

I have received several questions from therapists in private practice as well as therapists that practice in a hospital setting regarding providing free transportation to Medicare beneficiaries so they can receive outpatient therapy services at their private practice or hospital. They want to know is this legal or would this free transportation service violate the anti-kickback statute? The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has released several advisory opinions on this topic. If this is a service you are considering providing or are already providing to your Medicare beneficiaries, I would strongly encourage you to read these opinions as well

First Coast Service Options, Inc, Medicare Administrative Contractor for Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, has revised their local coverage determination (LCD) for Therapy and Rehabilitation Services. To access the revised LCD, log into your account and click

Palmetto GBA, Medicare Administrative Contractor for the states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, have revised their physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy local coverage determinations (LCD’s). The effective date for the revisions for all 3 LCD’s is January 1, 2019. To access the revised LCD’s, log into your Gold Member account and click on the following titles below

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2019 will now include physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists that treat Medicare beneficiaries in the private practice setting. The simplest way to know if you are a private practice under the Medicare program is that you submit claims to your Medicare Administrative Contractor on a 1500-claim form. Over the next several weeks, I will be answering question I receive on the MIPS program to help you get prepared. In addition, I will be presenting a 2.5 hour MIPS webinar tomorrow, December 18, 2018 from 1:00pm – 3:30pm ET. For additional information

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2019 will now include physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists that treat Medicare beneficiaries in the private practice setting. The simplest way to know if you are a private practice under the Medicare program is that you submit claims to your Medicare Administrative Contractor on a 1500-claim form. Over the next several weeks, I will be answering question I receive on the MIPS program to help you get prepared. In addition, I will be presenting a 2.5 hour MIPS webinar on December 18, 2018 from 1:00pm – 3:30pm ET. For additional information