Question

A PT student is treating a patient in an OP setting who has Medicare. The CI is not in the gym and all other therapists are in a meeting. The student can bill for their time with the patient under Medicare B.

a. True
b. False

Answer 1

A PT student cannot bill Medicare for their time with a patient in the absence of their clinical instructor. Direct supervision is a requirement for billing under Medicare Part B. Hence, the answer is false.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking whether a physical therapy (PT) student can bill Medicare for their time with a patient in an outpatient (OP) setting when their clinical instructor (CI) is not present in the gym and all other therapists are in a meeting. The correct answer to this question is false. Under Medicare Part B guidelines, services provided by a student are not billable unless the clinical instructor is present and directly supervising the student's interaction with the patient. Therefore, if the CI is not physically present in the treatment area, the student's time with the patient cannot be billed to Medicare B.