APTA Urges For Reform To Increase Access To Physical Therapy Services Following Results Of Pilot On Musculoskeletal Conditions

Main Category: Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy
Article Date: 24 Sep 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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In the wake of a report showing that patients with musculoskeletal conditions who receive physical therapy and other "physical medicine" services are less likely to have surgery, incur lower costs, and fare better than patients who do not receive such services, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is urging Congress to include policies in health care reform that increase access to physical therapy services, especially for America's seniors who live in rural areas.

The Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield 2008 pilot program, a quality improvement program for Iowa and South Dakota physical medicine providers, collected data from 238 physical therapists, occupational therapists, and chiropractors who provided care to 5,500 Wellmark members with musculoskeletal disorders.

The data showed that 89% of the Wellmark members treated in the pilot reported a greater than 30% improvement in 30 days. In addition, Wellmark claims data for members who received care from physical therapists or chiropractors was compared with data for a member population with similar demographics (including health) who did not receive such services. The comparison showed that those who received physical therapy or chiropractic care were less likely to have surgery and experienced lower total health care costs.

"This pilot program shows how physical therapy can be a solution in health care reform to lower costs, especially for individuals with musculoskeletal impairments," said APTA President R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD. "Improving access to high quality, cost-effective physical therapy services should be a priority for Congressional leaders as they debate health care reform. We encourage the House and Senate to pass legislation, such as the amendment that Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) has offered to the Senate Finance Committee's proposal, which would eliminate the mandated physician referral or certification of the plan of care for Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas who seek physical therapy services." Ward added, "Patients in many areas of the country may struggle -- and patients in rural areas are particularly burdened -- with limited access to qualified health care professionals. This amendment will advance the objectives of health care delivery reform."

The Wellmark pilot offers policymakers continued support for innovative care delivery models that provide high-quality care at reduced costs, said APTA. The association supports using such models to evaluate their feasibility under federal programs, such as Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

Source
American Physical Therapy Association