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New Tricare PTA/COTA Payment and Other Policies April 2020

April 28, 2020
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TRICARE has published its new policies regarding payment for PTA/COTA services and related matters.

The PTA policy can be found at : https://manuals.health.mil/pages/DisplayManualHtmlFile/TP15/62/AsOf/TP15/C11S3_16.html

The COTA policy, which is a mirror of the PTA policy, can be found […]

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HOW TO EVALUATE AND TREAT PT PATIENTS VIA TELEHEALTH

April 16, 2020
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Questions and Answers

The following are questions
submitted in connection with the April 2 webinar titled “How to Evaluate and
Treat PT Patients via Telehealth” with answers.

What are the ranges for self-pay telehealth
sessions?
$50-$125
per session; pricing should reflect value […]

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GETTING PAID FOR PT/OT TELEHEALTH AND E-VISITS

April 7, 2020
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Questions and Answers

The following are questions
submitted in connection with the April 2 webinar titled “Getting Paid for PT/OT
Telehealth and E-Visits” with answers.

I am at a hospital-based outpatient therapy
clinic at a critical access hospital. Is there […]

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TRICARE WILL START PAYING FOR PTA AND COTA SERVICES March 2020

March 18, 2020
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On March 17, 2020, the Department
of Defense published final regulations stating that TRICARE will start paying
for PTA and COTA services for dates of service on and after April 17, 2020.

TRICARE will be following
Medicare supervision rules. So, a physical therapist needs to be in the […]

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2020 MIPS REPORTING BY PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS IN PHYSICIAN GROUPS

January 13, 2020
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Physical
and occupational therapists are included in the types of providers required to
participate in CMS’s Quality Payment Program and report Merit-Based Incentive Payment
System (“MIPS”) measures.

The
following FAQs address how inclusion of PTs and OTs for the 2020 reporting year
impacts physician groups and […]

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New Dry Needling Codes

January 13, 2020
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The AMA, which issues and
provides guidance on CPT codes, has issued the following two new CPT codes for
dry needling. 

20560 Needle insertion(s)
without injection(s), 1-2 muscles20561 Needle insertion(s)
without injection(s), 3 or more muscles

Note that these codes are not […]

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Biofeedback code 90911

New Biofeedback Codes

January 13, 2020
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Biofeedback
code 90911 has been deleted and replaced with the following:

90912- Biofeedback training,
perineal muscles, anorectal or urethral sphincter, including EMG and/or
manometry, when performed; initial 15 minutes of one-on-one contact with the
patient.

90913 – Biofeedback training,
perineal muscles, anorectal or urethral sphincter, including […]

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2020 PT/OT Modifiers

January 13, 2020
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New CQ/CO Modifiers

For dates of service starting
1/1/2020, Medicare is requiring new modifiers on claims for treatment provided
by a PTA or COTA.  The PTA modifier is CQ and the COTA modifier is
CO.  (The GP, GO and KX modifiers […]

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Therapeutic Activity (97530) can no longer be billed with PT/OT initial evals

January 13, 2020
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CMS
slipped in surprise CCI edits that are effective for dates of service on and
after January 1, 2020. These have caught virtually everyone off guard and PTs
and OTs are likely to see notices and calls to action from the APTA, AOTA, etc.

The
most significant change […]

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Medicare Documentation Requirements

September 9, 2019
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Medicare
Documentation Requirements

Initial
Evaluation and POC

The
following are Medicare’s current documentation requirements for initial
evaluation and plans of care.

I.  Initial Evaluation (from Medicare Benefits
Policy Manual Ch 15 Section 220.3(C))

A.  General
goal is […]

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