articleDec 6, 2018 | 8 min. read
7 Steps to Successfully Practice PT in a New State
Whether you’re suffering from chronic wanderlust, or you’re just looking for different weather, moving to a new state can be a refreshing change of pace. But while moving your belongings is a fairly simple process, if you want to take your PT job with you, you’ll need more than bubble wrap and tape. In fact, there’s actually a whole list of compliance requirements to consider before you can treat patients in another state—and despite what you may …
articleNov 26, 2018 | 6 min. read
Everything You Need to Know About POPTS
From day one of physical therapy school, we were taught to not even entertain the idea of working for a POPTS practice. I remember hearing the words, “Your license is on the line,” and feeling vaguely scared of the potential fallout from joining one of these heinous practices. But, I was so overwhelmed by the immediacy of school concerns that I didn’t take the time to consider why. I never did work for a POPTS clinic, but …
articleNov 12, 2018 | 6 min. read
Double Duty: How to Bill for PT and OT on the Same Day
In many cases, physical therapy and occupational therapy go together like peanut butter and jelly. PTs and OTs often share similar goals and interventions, treat the same types of patients in the same settings, and get confused by the billing rules that apply to our respective specialties. This confusion leads to quite a few questions, including this head-scratcher: how does one bill for OT and PT provided to a single patient on the same day? While the …
articleNov 5, 2018 | 8 min. read
CMS’s Final Bow: The 2019 Final Rule
Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published its 2019 final rule . Clocking in at just over 2,300 pages, the final rule isn't exactly a light read—especially because the legal lingo can be harder to interpret than Shakespearean verse. Luckily, we have the script—with all its twists and turns—decoded and ready for you to review. Here's the synopsis of all the physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology Medicare changes for 2019: Out, …
webinarNov 5, 2018
Unwrapping MIPS and the Final Rule: How to Prepare for 2019
Picture this: snowflakes drift lazily through the bitter winter air and pile softly on your windowsill. You’re snuggled up under your softest blanket, holding a steaming cup of cocoa and smiling as your family laughs and chatters happily after tearing open their holiday gifts. Then, someone hands you a box wrapped in shiny blue paper with a tag that reads, “From Medicare.” You rip into the bright wrapping paper, but as it falls to the floor, you …
articleOct 25, 2018 | 43 min. read
Common Questions from Our Medicare Open Forum Webinar
Earlier this week, WebPT President Dr. Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, teamed up with Rick Gawenda, PT—President and CEO of Gawenda Seminars & Consulting—to host a Medicare Open Forum . As expected, we received more questions than our Medicare experts could answer during the live session, so we've provided the answers to the most frequently asked ones below. Don't see the answer you're looking for? Post your question in the comment section at the end of this …
articleOct 18, 2018 | 6 min. read
The Ins and Outs of ABNs
If the rules of Advance Beneficiary Notices of Noncoverage (ABNs) make you a bit confused, you’re definitely not alone. In an effort to shed some light on the ins and outs of ABNs and to highlight some recent changes to ABN requirements, Medicare created this set of FAQs clarifying their use. Here’s some info to help bring you up to speed: What is an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN)? An ABN is a form practitioners use …
articleOct 12, 2018 | 5 min. read
Can PTs Bill for Telehealth Services?
Telehealth is not exactly new. In fact, medical professionals have been using telemedicine since as early as 1940—but that’s because the term “telemedicine” technically refers to any electronic transfer of patient information. The way we think of telemedicine has changed quite a bit over the years. While the definition continues to encompass electronic transfer of medical records, most of us use the term “telehealth” to describe treatments or interventions delivered across electronic means. PTs and Teletherapy Like …
downloadOct 10, 2018
ABN Decision Chart
Knowing when—and when not—to issue an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) can be a challenge for even the most senior provider. But, doing so correctly can mean the difference between being able to collect payment from your patients—and writing off denied charges as bad debt. And that can have a substantial impact on your practice’s bottom line—especially if you see a large number of Medicare beneficiaries.
articleSep 26, 2018 | 7 min. read
Equipped to Get Paid: Billing for DME, Orthotics, and Prosthetics in Private Practice
Some things in life are very straightforward. For instance, if you need a new pair of jeans, you simply head to the store (or use my preferred method: ordering online from the comfort of your own home), give your money to the cashier, and walk out the door with exactly what you need. Unfortunately, purchasing things such as splints, prosthetics, and durable medical equipment (DME) isn’t so cut and dried. In fact, when it comes to orthotics …
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