Rebuttal by NYPTA to HIP Quotation

Rebuttal by NYPTA to HIP quotation as reported in www.myfoxny.com story titled "Physical Therapists Protest HIP Rate Cut", also aired on Fox5 News at 10pm on 4/29/09

The New York Physical Therapy Association (NYPTA) is a professional organization that represents over 4,000 licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in New York State. The NYPTA refutes the statement reported as having been made by HIP/Emblem Health regarding physical therapy reimbursement rates in New York. HIP was quoted as saying the old reimbursement rate of $55 was "well above the industry norm" and that the new rate of $45 is "in line with patterns in the industry."

In the Association's view this is not accurate. The previous rate of $55 is well below usual and customary fees, half as much of a typical Medicare physical therapy treatment, and well below all other commercial insurers. Physical Therapy Providers have had to take significant discounts, ($55) in order to meet the physical therapy needs of the city's municipal unions; teachers, firefighters, sanitation workers and police officers.

We call upon HIP/Emblem Health to meet with Association representatives and share the data they believe supports their claim that HIP fees are within the industry norm.

The NYPTA has long maintained that reimbursement rates and other insurer related barriers to care have an adverse impact on the outcome of delivery of physical therapy services to patients and the viability of physical therapy practitioners.

On Thursday 4/30/09, physical therapists and patients gathered together to express their dissatisfaction with the unfair rate reductions in Physical Therapist reimbursement in a rally at HIP headquarters in New York City. NYPTA supports the right of all physical therapy practitioners to express their individual views on the impact that low reimbursement has on their patients' condition. The position of NYPTA is that physical therapists should advocate for reimbursement rates that enable them to meet the needs of their patients.