RE: License massage therapist/PT Tech

November 18, 2005

Hi ,

#1. You have to check your state practice act. That will have the rules

and regulations on what a non-licensed staff member can do. Also check

whether or not PTA's are licensed or regulated in your state. If they are,

then the LMT cannot do anything past what is allowed by your practice act

for non-licensed personnel. Bottom line, your LMT can only monitor ther.ex.

if your practice act allows it.

#2. As far as billing, you are billing for your time and for your skill,

not for the LMT's time. That is one of the dilemmas the PT profession is

in. Insurances have always required us to bill for licensed personnel time

and skills but our profession has taken advantage of it and billed for

non-licensed personnel time and even treatment. Creates multiple standards

of care per state. Now insurances, especially Medicare are holding us

accountable to the standards they have always had. Bottom line on billing:

do the right thing and bill for your time and your skills with your clients.

Tom Howell, P.T., M.P.T.

Howell Physical Therapy

Eagle, ID

howellpt@...

License massage therapist/PT Tech

I have an LMT working in my clinic with therapy patients, as well as his

own. He is getting paid on a fee-for-service basis from my therapy

patients. However, on his " downtime " he has asked to work as a PT Tech. I

need someone to help with laundry and other duties to help keep the clinic

clean. This is necessary b/c of the nature of our practice with aquatic

therapy and manual therapy that requires alot of laundry and upkeep. It is

now nearly impossible for the practioners to continue these necessary

duties b/c we are very busy with patients.

However, this LMT is asking if he can monitor ther ex with patients

since he is also pursuing his degree in PTA school. I believe this is not a

billable service for a tech to monitor exercise. But my question is, " Can I

bill for ther ex if I am in the area with him and the patient, while he is

monitoring and cueing proper ther ex techniques? "

Hankins, PT

---------------------------------

Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

Recommended Posts