Direct Access

In August of 2013, the California Legislature passed a bill that will allow Direct Access for physical therapy services beginning January 1, 2014.  What this means for the general public is that you no longer need to see a physician first to obtain a referral for PT services.  Countless studies have shown that this law has several benefits:

(1) It allows quicker access to services decreasing medical costs.
(2) It allows the consumer faster care.
(3) It speeds up the healing process.

Direct Access to Physical Therapy Services:

-Allows patients to directly access physical therapy treatments for 45 days or 12 visits
-Mandates that insurance must cover the physical therapy costs of direct access

Physical therapists are highly trained and educated medical professionals. If your problem is beyond the scope of physical therapy, your therapist will immediately advise you to see a physician.

Direct Access to Physical Therapy Services:

-Allows corporate employment of physical therapists which allows physicians to own the physical therapy practice. This is a conflict of interest. Thus, they have the potential for increased self-referral known as referral for profit (RFP).

-POPTS (Physician Owned Physical Therapy Services) have been studies and researched for many years. It has been shown repeatedly that POPTS businesses have a tendency to: over-utilize physical therapy services, decrease the quality of care, and have less than satisfactory outcomes.

POPTS is a profit generating mechanism for doctors. California is the only state in the union where POPTS are legal.

It is EdgePT’s opinion that, generally speaking, the highest quality of physical therapy care comes from Physical Therapy Owned clinics. If your doctor suggests a physical therapy practice for you to go to, ask who owns the physical therapy clinic. If you choose to attend the clinic that your doctor recommends, always ask who is providing the physical therapy treatments. These POPTS companies make money by employing non-licensed individuals providing care.

EdgePT is physical therapist owned and operated. While we have outstanding physicians that we work closely with, they do not own any stock in our company. They trust us to:

-Offer the highest quality treatment plans
-See all clients in a timely manner
-Provide the best outcomes in the shortest period of time
-To return their patients to an active lifestyle

While you no longer need a physician referral to see a physical therapist, should you need a referral, we can recommend local, highly qualified physicians for you to contact.

To schedule an appointment
Call 909.399.3359