Managed care health insurers have designated physical therapists as specialists for co-payment purposes, allowing health plans to charge patients more per visit while maintaining reimbursement levels to physical therapists, thus shifting more of the cost burden onto the backs of consumers.

These specialty co-payments add up for New Yorkers, since physical therapy frequently requires multiple visits over an extended period of time as the practice of physical therapy works in conjunction with the healing process.

Health Plans call these specialty co-pays, we call them unfair.

That is why NYPTA is asking members of the State Legislature to support S.4321 sponsored by Senator Breslin and A.8171 sponsored by Assemblyman Cahill to end the imposition of additional co-pays on New Yorkers for physical therapy services on the basis of provider or setting.