Responding to Patient Concerns About Workers' Comp During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Some patients may be understandably concerned about losing WC benefits if they choose to reduce travel during the national health emergency.
APTA has received several communications from patients who are seeing a PT through workers' compensation but who are having reservations about continuing treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. They feel at risk, yet they don't want to lose their WC benefits.
In the event individual providers are hearing the same concerns, here's our advice to share with those patients:
- Contact your case manager. There may already be guidance available during the health emergency.
- Contact your employer — specifically, your employer's human resources department or your union representative. Again, guidance may already be there for you.
- Find out if your state has initiated emergency rules that allow for telehealth for purposes of treatment through workers' compensation. If the answer is yes, contact your provider to set up a telerehab plan.
- If you can't find definitive answers, keep making your concerns known and exploring possible solutions with your case manager and employer.
For more information on physical therapy and workers' compensation, including links to individual state information, visit APTA's workers' compensation webpage.