Outpatient PT

[Guest guest]

On 5/18/04 12:22 AM, " Joint Replacement "

<Joint Replacement > wrote:

> How many weeks have lapsed since your surgery? Has anyone considered

> outpatient therapy (where you would go to a facility that has

> equipment and staff to advance you)? Is it up to you to decide

> whether to continue at-home therapy?

It will be 4 weeks Thursday. I think the insurance company I chose is the

problem. Once again, 20/20 hindsight about what questions I SHOULD have

been asking when I picked a Medicaid HMO. They all are different. I saw

where this one offered a driving feature and believing that I would have to

travel to PT, I thought that was a good idea. Oh well......

Vera

[Guest guest]

I would think it would be your surgeon's job to order outpatient PT

or home visits, whatever is appropriate. Of course your insurance

would have to authorize it.

I am in an HMO (not medicare, though) and the authorizations for PT

came in for a certain # of visits over a given period of time. When

that time was up, and if the therapist thought I needed more, she

asked for more time from the doctor, who would reauthorize another

block of visits and cause to be issued another authorization from

insurance.

I stopped before I had used all the time authorized - they were quite

generous and I progressed rapidly.

Doesn't medicare now have a cap on the number of PT sessions per

illness per year or something like that?

>

> > How many weeks have lapsed since your surgery? Has anyone

considered

> > outpatient therapy (where you would go to a facility that has

> > equipment and staff to advance you)? Is it up to you to decide

> > whether to continue at-home therapy?

> It will be 4 weeks Thursday. I think the insurance company I chose

is the

> problem. Once again, 20/20 hindsight about what questions I SHOULD

have

> been asking when I picked a Medicaid HMO. They all are different.

I saw

> where this one offered a driving feature and believing that I would

have to

> travel to PT, I thought that was a good idea. Oh well......

>

> Vera

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/20/2004 5:19:35 AM Central Standard Time, richardbeebe97303@... writes:

some goodexercises to do at home are with one of those plastic bandsattached to your foot and a door or something and do a varietyof stretching; I also do some step up balancing exercises whichyou can do at home and walking in place w/eyes open/and closedhelps get some balance esp on a foam pad or pillow.....

_____

They're doing a good job, attending to proprioception and balance as well as strength. Those bands are called "theraband", and you can be really creative with them. Can also get weights at Walmart or other stores, and an inexpensive step as used for step aerobics if you don't have a step in your home. Upholstery stores often have extra piece they can give you if you want one. Standing on one leg or with one foot in front of the other or doing step ups on your aerobic step are all good.

I do know, though, that there are plenty of therapists who do three patients at the same time and do just put you on a machine and glance over once in a while to either tell you you're doing good or to get with it. If anyone is getting this, complain.....they are being paid to give you much more than that.

y

[Guest guest]

On 5/20/04 5:27 AM, " Joint Replacement "

<Joint Replacement > wrote:

> Just wondering what you mean by a " driving feature. "

They will pick you up and drive you to a doctor or PT appt.

Vera