Tired of High Co-Pays for PT? Us too! Here’s what you can do…

James Cardone — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:45:50 +0000

No one likes high co-pays. For you it means that getting the care you need costs more. For us it means fewer visits to our practice and the knowledge that people who need treatment are “going without” solely for financial reasons — something that conflicts with the core beliefs on which Recovery PT was founded. Fortunately, there is a fast-growing movement to combat the classification of Physical Therapy visits as “specialist visits” by insurance companies. Please take a moment to visit http://www.faircopays-betterresults.com to learn more about how high co-pays are adversely impacting physical therapy care and what YOU can do to help stop it!

Ridiculous Co-pays Are Affecting Access to Physical Therapy Services

James Cardone — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:36:06 +0000

The 2009 New York Physical Therapy Association (NYPTA) legislative agenda targeted the unfair practice of insurance companies designating physical therapy services as “specialist”; originally meant to offset the high cost of paying for specialty services of surgeons and other physicians who only see a patient one time for expensive consultative service. By contrast, physical therapists, who have been granted legal “direct access” as a primary care provider, may see a patient multiple times per week for an extended duration.

There are many reported cases where the patient co-pay is $50 and the allowable charges by contract with the provider were actually less ($45); the actual insurance cost for the visit is $0 and the patient pays the full amount. This impacts the patient by limiting access due to the excessive financial burden placed on them, and challenges the therapist with unrealistic expectations for optimal outcomes as a result of too few treatment sessions.

While recognizing the unfairness of this practice, Legislators have been encouraged to eliminate the “specialist co-pay” loophole and bills have been introduced in both the NYS Assembly (Kevin Cahill- A8171) and Senate (Neil Breslin- S4321). In fact, on Lobby Day this past May, Legislators themselves shared their own stories about family and friends who have been adversely affected by high co-pays; limiting access to care. Both bills sit in committee, not considered the most pressing issue before the Legislature, and we need continued pressure to push the issue to the forefront and demand action.

Weâ€™d like these bills passed on or before 2010. Please contact your legislator and let them know you want this change, of an unfair insurance practice, to happen.

Recovery Physical Therapy Blog » co-pays

Tired of High Co-Pays for PT? Us too! Here’s what you can do…

Ridiculous Co-pays Are Affecting Access to Physical Therapy Services