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Medicare Cutting Payments To Physical Therapy Providers

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Medicare Cutting Payments To Physical Therapy Providers

Effective January 1, 2021 Medicare is reducing what they  will pay to physical therapists and totally eliminating telehealth services provided by physical therapists. I have been using services for a bad lower back and separately tweaked my shoulder and am just beginning therapy for that. I am worried about these cuts because

 

These changes will:

Reduce access to physical therapy for Medicare Beneficiaries.
Physical therapists may be forced to reduce the volume of Medicare patients seen
Some practices may opt to discontinue the treatment of Medicare patients entirely
The elimination of telehealth services for physical therapy will negatively impact some of Medicare's highest risk patients during this pandemic
This will impact the solvency and financial stability of physical therapy offices during a pandemic in which the cost of providing care to patients has increased. Doesn't AARP lobby congress on our behalf? I think this change is a bad thing for members

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@rw92658117 wrote:

Effective January 1, 2021 Medicare is reducing what they  will pay to physical therapists and totally eliminating telehealth services provided by physical therapists. I have been using services for a bad lower back and separately tweaked my shoulder and am just beginning therapy for that. I am worried about these cuts because

 

These changes will:

Reduce access to physical therapy for Medicare Beneficiaries.
Physical therapists may be forced to reduce the volume of Medicare patients seen
Some practices may opt to discontinue the treatment of Medicare patients entirely
The elimination of telehealth services for physical therapy will negatively impact some of Medicare's highest risk patients during this pandemic
This will impact the solvency and financial stability of physical therapy offices during a pandemic in which the cost of providing care to patients has increased. Doesn't AARP lobby congress on our behalf? I think this change is a bad thing for members


SORRY but I doubt if many seniors would be concerned - Medicare Part B pays what it pays and then their Medigap policy picks up the rest or what their plan provides.  OR Medicaid pays.

Most seniors pay little attention to what amount is paid.

 

Maybe we should get completely away from fee for service like other countries do.  Maybe the services should be bundled into some type of total coverage especially if the therapy has to do with recuperation.  

 

On the other hand by using a budget neutral pay setting method, perhaps our Part B premiums will be held down for ALL of us.

 

If any physical therapist or other type or designate wants to stop taking Medicare patients - have at it - but remember we have a bumper crop of aging seniors right now and that could be a mistake - but it is up to them.

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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