The Rehab Department of Ellenville Regional Hospital, located in Ellenville, NY, recently hosted a physical therapy advocacy day.

The event took place to highlight pertinent issues that are impacting the delivery of physical therapy services in New York State, according to a media release from the New York Physical Therapy Association (NYPTA).

One issue in particular is the unfair practice of “specialty” co-pays, which the Rehab Department of Ellenville Regional Hospital, along with the NYPTA, are hoping to end, per the release.

The release explains that, currently, co-pays fees are not limited and can equal the amount reimbursed to the physical therapist. For example, some co-pays are as much as $50 per visit for physical therapy treatments that require up to 12 or more sessions per month. The additional co-pays for this patient would be $600 per month. Meanwhile the PT reimbursement might only be $50 per visit, meaning the patient is paying 100% of the per-visit costs. The insurer has placed the entire burden of cost on the patient.

“The imposition by managed care companies of ever-increasing physical therapy copays is one of the most pressing issues facing the profession at this time,” says Michael Mattia, PT, DPT, MS, MHA, president, NYPTA, in the release.

“Health plans continue to progressively defund physical therapy as a covered benefit and shift the cost onto consumers by imposing high specialty copayments for physical therapy visits. The end result is that our patients are shouldering the overwhelming cost of their physical therapy care as they or their employer continue to experience significant increases in health insurance premiums,” he adds.

Per the release, the NYPTA is asking members of the State Legislature to support A.1063A, sponsored by Assemblyman Cahill and the Senate same as bill, S.28A sponsored by Senator DeFrancisco. The bills provide that no health care policy shall impose co-payments in excess of 20% of total reimbursement to the provider of care.

For more information, visit NYPTA.

[source(s): New York Physical Therapy Association, PRWeb]