Question

You are a PT student in a SNF. You are treating a patient with Medicare A in the therapy gym. Your CI is at a meeting and the other PT is doing a bedside treatment during the time you are treating. You are correct in billing your service.

a. True
b. False

Answer 1

It is false to bill for physical therapy services provided by a PT student in a SNF under Medicare A without direct supervision from a Clinical Instructor or a licensed PT, as Medicare requires immediate availability of a qualified practitioner for billing purposes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to a scenario where a physical therapy (PT) student is treating a patient with Medicare A in a skilled nursing facility (SNF), while their Clinical Instructor (CI) is not present, being at a meeting, and the other PT is occupied with a bedside treatment. The legality and appropriateness of billing for this service under Medicare A depends on strict supervision and billing requirements outlined by Medicare.

Generally, students in physical therapy programs may participate in patient care, but billing for services performed by students is subject to specific rules. Medicare requires that services provided by a student be directly supervised by a qualified practitioner, which means the supervising practitioner must be physically present and immediately available to furnish assistance and direction throughout the performance of the procedure. Without the presence of the CI or a licensed PT immediately available, billing for the service as if it was provided by a licensed PT is incorrect and could be considered fraudulent.

Thus, the answer to the question is b. False.