ALEXANDRIA, VA, September 4, 2008 — Physical therapists and
other health care professionals that provide durable medical equipment
and prosthetic and orthotic services to Medicare beneficiaries will be
exempt from the program's accreditation process and quality standard
requirements, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
announced Wednesday.
"This is a huge victory for patients and health care professionals
across this nation," American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
President R Scott Ward, PT, PhD, said. "Physical therapists already
provide care of the highest quality, so these unnecessary requirements
would have been overly burdensome, costly and could have created
obstacles for patients needing these services."
As originally proposed, physical therapists and other health care
providers would have been required to meet certain quality standards and
be accredited by an independent accreditation organization in order to
bill for these services. The deadline for new suppliers was March 2008,
while the deadline for existing suppliers was September 2009.
APTA worked with the American Medical Association, the American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Academy of Ophthalmology,
the American Podiatric Medical Association, the Medical Group Management
Association, the American Occupational Therapy Association, and the
American Optometric Association to convince CSM to eliminate the
accreditation process.
Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and
manage individuals of all ages, from newborns to elders, who have
medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their
abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily
lives. Physical therapists examine each individual and develop a plan of
care using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce
pain, restore function, and prevent disability. Physical therapists also
work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility by developing
fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active
lifestyles.
APTA (www.apta.org) is a national organization representing physical
therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students nationwide. Its
goal is to foster advancements in physical therapist education,
practice, and research. Consumers can visit www.findapt.us to find
a physical therapist in their area, as well as www.apta.org/consumer for physical therapy news and
information.