Health Insurance for Physical Therapy

Physical therapy (PT) has several purposes. For instance, physical therapy can be used for rehabbing injuries, preventing health conditions, and treating disabilities. Having the proper health insurance to cover physical therapy will eliminate financial hassles otherwise caused by PT.

Significance

• According to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, physical therapy falls under the category of ancillary services, which are medical services used to assist in avoiding health concerns. By preventing health problems, physical therapy helps to reduce expenses for health insurance providers.

Choosing Healthcare Coverage

• The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) notes that most healthcare insurance providers will offer different choices for healthcare coverage. Factors to consider when choosing healthcare coverage includes your need for physical therapy and the insurance's deductible. According to APTA, the cheapest healthcare coverage tends to have higher deductibles and lower quality coverage. (See References 1)

Rules & Regulations

• U.S. Government qualified healthcare providers require coverage of physical therapy, according to APTA. Additionally, the Ethics in Patient Referral Act prevents doctors from recommending physical therapy services that the doctors can financially benefit from.

Warning

• Not all physical therapy requires a doctor's referral. However, some health insurance providers will not cover physical therapy unless a doctor's referral is given first.