Medicare outpatient therapy limits are set to increase slightly in 2017. Specifically, the 2017 cap will be $1,980 for physical therapy and speech-language pathology combined and $1,980 for occupational therapy, compared to $1,960 for 2016. The therapy caps exceptions process continues through December 31, 2017 under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.

CMS has released information about its plans for implementing Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) provisions regarding the manual medical review process for outpatient therapy services over the annual threshold. By way of background, the Medicare program has an annual limit on the amount of expenses a patient can accrue for outpatient

The GAO recently examined “self-referral” for outpatient physical therapy (PT) services, which the GAO defines as a provider referring patients to entities in which the provider or the provider’s family members have a financial interest. According to the GAO, non-self-referred PT services per 1,000 Medicare FFS beneficiaries increased by 41% from 2004 to 2010, while

This post was also written by Rachel Golick. A new bill introduced in the House on August 1, 2013 by Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WI) would dramatically narrow the in-office ancillary services (IOAS) exception to the Stark law for physician groups performing imaging, pathology radiation therapy and physical therapy services. The