The Newly-Introduced Coding and Health Care Reforms Encourage Total Care for Patients and Higher Returns for Physical Therapists – Part 1

According to the information that has been released regarding the newly-introduced coding and health care reforms, these reforms not only encourage high-quality, total care for patients, but, also encourage higher returns for physical therapists.

Ultimately, there are three basic components associated with health care; that is, to optimize the health of individuals, improve the quality of the health care system for communities and/or society, and to contain the costs associated with health care. To succeed in achieving the goals of these components, it is not surprising that it typically takes a vast amount of research and proposals.

Currently, there are several models that have been proposed and are undergoing testing. The newly-introduced coding and health care reforms may just be what we need to progress towards the goals of fulfilling all of the components of health care.

In the Affordable Care Act of 2010 was released, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) began the process of preparing physical therapists and their assistants for the soon-to-be enforced changes that were expected. The organization is working diligently to ensure that there is a coordinated-based approach to make certain that all health care that is provided to patients moves towards ensuring the goals of the components of health care are met.

As a result, these medical professionals will no longer be paid for just the procedures that they perform, but, they will also receive compensation for their medical judgment and the clinical-based decisions that they must make.

While there are many different components to this new approach, the main component are new CPT codes that will come into play that directly relate to physical medicine and/or rehabilitation.

Essentially, this is the 97000 code series that physical therapists use. The new codes are designed to move from a procedure-based system of classification to one that actually outlines the patient, their condition, and the amount of decisions that had to be made – directly – by a physical therapist and/or their assistant. This will ensure that a patient is getting the complete care that they require and that the medical professional providing the care will receive the proper amount of compensation and professional recognition for that which they have performed.

If you are a physical therapist that has a desire to provide total care to your patients, it is imperative that you pay close attention to the newly-introduced coding and health care reforms. Not only is this is an opportunity for your patients to finally receive individualized care, it is an opportunity for you to finally get recognized and properly compensated for the work that you perform.

One of the best aspects to the new coding reforms is that codes will be brought into play that actually outline both the decisions and the care that have been given during a patient’s care. If you would like to learn more about this topic, we encourage you to return for the next and final installment in this series. Simply bookmark us today:https://coloradophysicaltherapynetwork.com/

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