By Marcello Cherchi,MD PhD
Physical therapy, with all of its subdisciplines, is a treatment modality for a broad range of ailments. Otoneurology and neuro-otology rely heavily on the services of vestibular physical therapists. Prior to 2018 a patient needed a physician’s referral in order to receive physical therapy services.
Many physical therapists and patients viewed this requirement as a barrier to receiving care, arguing that in at least some cases, physical therapists were capable of diagnosing and treating a variety of conditions without specific “approval” by a physician. The Illinois Physical Therapy Association lobbied for legislation to change this: https://www.ipta.org/news/414722/Governor-signs-new-law-to-facilitate-access-to-physical-therapy-services.htm (accessed 1/7/2023).
On 8/16/2018 Illinois erstwhile governor, Bruce Rauner, approved House Bill 4643, which gives patients “direct access” to treatment by physical therapists without a physician referral: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=91&GA=100&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=4643&GAID=14&LegID=109632&SpecSess=&Session= (accessed 1/7/2023).
Depending on a person’s health insurance coverage and the policies of the particular physical therapy facility, the physical therapist may sometimes still request a referral for reimbursement purposes — though to be clear, this is no longer legally required.
