The movement toward value-based care delivery and payment models presents opportunities for reducing administrative burden, but meanwhile providers face many challenges. One is the issue of uncompensated care, which involves activities not covered under the fee-for-service system. Because these activities are not direct patient care, and so aren’t considered within the direct time-based model that characterizes fee-for-service, they generally aren’t covered by payers. However, physical therapists and physical therapist assistants must engage in these activities because they are critical to the delivery of direct patient care, or they are imposed on providers by burdensome administrative payer policies.

This article summarizes the results of a recent APTA member survey on what constitutes uncompensated aspects of care, how this issue impacts you, and steps you can take to minimize its effects.