Wow! All I can say is Wow! A friend alerted me to this website, www.physicaltherapychoice.com. It is put together by a "Coalition" and I use that term loosely, to save the available choices for patients in SC in regards to access for available physical therapy services.
You see in 2006, the legislature in SC did the right thing. They removed the ability of physical therapists to work in Physician Owned Physical Therapy offices, thus limiting the potential income to many physician groups.Why are there only 3 states who have outlawed this? Because any other state who attempts to get legislation passed is met with strict opposition from other groups with either more money or more influence.
Think declining revenue isn't a major motivation for certain groups to add physical therapy to an office? Look at the following websites as examples:
http://www.bodymechaniques.com/bodymech/
http://www.beckersorthopedicandspine.com/orthopedic-spine-practices-improving-profits/3101-5-points-for-orthopedic-surgeons-to-consider-before-addition-physical-therapy-to-their-practice
http://www.empiremedicaltraining.com/workshops/seminar_details.listevents/33/Physical-Therapy--Physician-Supervised/
And it isn't just limited to physical therapy. This was happening in the 1980's and is still happening today:
http://motherjones.com/politics/1993/05/motherjones-mj93-double-dipping-doctors
Over and over again on these websites you see a recurrent theme: passive income, increase practice profits, #1 solution to declining reimbursements. All by adding "physical therapy" to your practice. Take a close look: outcomes, experience of the physical therapist, and the patient are after thoughts. Even this new website claiming that patients no longer have a choice in SC is not able to show real numbers that the skilled available PT workforce dropped off or that the outcomes of patients were affected. Is it possible that they are feeling left out of the "#1 solution to declining reimbursements?"
The "Share Your Stories" tab is littered with supposed "Orthopeadic Surgeons" complaining about the lack of control they now have and the limited ability for people to access physical therapy. And the fact that not one person other than "Beth" wanted their name on this website? Makes me think someone has something to hide. They want your money, but who is they? The Coalition? In the words of the folks at Fox NFL Sunday, "Come'on Man!"
In the resources section the only position statements are from the AAOS and the SC Orthopaedic Association. Where are the AMA, the radiologist groups, and all of the other physician professional groups weighing in on this issue? In 2006 this turf battle was being discussed in other areas: physicians vs physicians vs hospitals?
Here is where the American Physical Therapy Association stands on the issue.
I would like to see one day where we again thought of healthcare as care and not business. Here is what the new website should be asking you to do instead.
1. Contact your legislature to thank them for the work they do instead of calling to complain.
2. Contact your insurance company and ask for the same copay/co-insurance whether you are seen in an office or a facility. Hospitals and physician offices typically get paid more under the current calculations (cost to deliver care is supposedly higher so they get paid more) although your co-pay/co-insurance is typically lower than if you went to an outpatient physical therapy practice owned by either a corporation or a PT.
3. Find out the real reasons the laws (Stark Laws) were written. Under Medicare guidelines physicians are prohibited from making referrals of patients to entities for which they have financial interest in. Physical Therapy is listed under this section. This is a Federal Issue. That is why the laws are referred to as Physician Self Referral laws.
4. Ask your physician/referral coordinator why they are referring you to a certain physical therapist. If their answer is convenience, because we know them, or because they are the best, ask if the physician has any financial interest in the company? If yes, understand that you have options and there may be other PT's out there. Real facts from a third party source
Last but not least, physical therapists are licensed individuals many of whom are educated at a doctorate level. There are State Boards who govern their actions, just like physicians. NC and SC law allows for a patient to self refer themselves to physical therapy without ever having been to a physician. This is seen by many physician groups as going against the traditional medical model because it does not follow tradition. The old HMO style of "gate keeper" has been proven ineffective by needing a referral to specialist from a primary care physician. Why do you think more medical students are going into specialties and not chosing primary care any longer? Physical Therapists are experts in movement and movement related disorders. For the same reason you would not go to a Cardiologist for a Chest Cold or Diabetes management, you would not go to a Physical Therapist for these either. But for muscle pain, joint pain, poor posture, walking problems, and any other movement problems or deficits, why would you not choose to see a physical therapist first. Physical Therapists are medical professonals and are another part of the medical team and should not be used to supplement income!
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