Success! CMS Reverses Coding Changes in Response to Physical Therapist Concerns

In January, we asked for your help in reaching out to the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Contractor to remove new edits that were made to the NCCI Procedure-to-Procedure (PTP). The edits, if implemented as written, would have harmed patients by restricting a physical therapist’s ability to provide treatment during a patient’s first visit.

You responded to our call-to-action by sending more than 350 letters to the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), asking the NCCI Contractor to remove the harmful edits that failed to align with the current practice of care. After hearing from the physical therapy community, CMS announced that it would remove the problematic changes – to again enable physical therapists to offer treatment during a patient’s initial visit.

This is a huge win for physical therapy providers and patients, as PTs will be able to provide prompt treatment and return to billing for therapeutic activities delivered on the same day.

Your advocacy helped make this change possible, and individuals around the country in need of physical therapy will benefit as a result. We appreciate all of your hard work and we hope you recognize the huge impact your voice had in these efforts!