Latest news with #physicaltherapists
Medscape
08-08-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Structured Walking Program Boosts Stroke Recovery Outcomes
TOPLINE: The structured, progressive 'Walk 'n Watch' exercise protocol, delivered by physical therapists to patients in Canada with subacute stroke, was associated with greater improvement in walking endurance, speed, balance, mobility, and quality of life than usual care in a new phase 3 trial. METHODOLOGY: This phase 3, pragmatic, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized controlled trial included more than 300 participants with confirmed stroke within 12 weeks previously (mean age, 68 years; 61% men) across 12 inpatient stroke rehabilitation units in Canada between 2021 and 2024. About 162 patients were assigned to the usual care group, and 144 were assigned to the Walk 'n Watch group. Three sites each were allocated to one of four sequences consisting of 4, 8, 12, or 16 months of usual care, followed by a 2-week transition period, and then up to 20 months dedicated to the Walk 'n Watch intervention. Front-line physical therapists delivered the Walk 'n Watch protocol with at least 30 minutes of walking-related activities per session, with the intensity progressively increased on the basis of heart rate and step count monitors. The primary endpoint was walking endurance as measured with the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) 4 weeks after randomization. TAKEAWAY: In the Walk 'n Watch group, the mean distance increased from 163.6 m at baseline to 297.2 m at 4 weeks compared with 137.1 m to 223.6 m in the usual care group. The intervention also had a greater 'clinically meaningful improvement' in the 6MWT vs the usual care (intention-to-treat mean difference, 43.6 m; per-protocol mean difference, 52.6; 95% CI, 16.3-89.4). Men had a greater improvement on the 6MWT with Walk 'n Watch vs usual care (mean difference, 64.1 m), whereas women showed an improvement of only 15.7 m). Improvements in quality of life, balance, mobility, and gait speed were greater in the Walk 'n Watch group than in the usual care group. No serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred during Walk 'n Watch sessions, although five and four SAEs requiring admission to acute care were reported in the Walk 'n Watch and usual care groups, respectively, while participants were on the rehab ward. Of all 58 falls recorded during the study, only one occurred during a Walk 'n Watch session. IN PRACTICE: 'The Walk 'n Watch protocol resulted in a clinically meaningful improvement in walking endurance in patients with subacute stroke in a real-world setting. The protocol can be readily implemented into practice with minimal additional resources,' the investigators wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Sue Peters, PhD, School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Elborn College, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada. It was published online on July 16 in The Lancet Neurology. LIMITATIONS: Data collection and recruitment were influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The intracluster correlation coefficient for 6MWT was greater than what was seen in the pilot study, possibly due to greater heterogeneity in the types of sites in this trial. DISCLOSURES: The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada Brain Research Fund, Michael Smith Health Research BC, Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé, Canada Research Program, and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Several investigators reported having financial ties with various organizations, and one investigator reported serving as chair of the Rehabilitation Care Alliance of Ontario and co-chair of the March of Dimes After Stroke Advisory Committee. Full details are listed in the original article. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hinge Health: Why this analyst is bullish on the stock
Wall Street analysts began to initiate coverage of Hinge Health (HNGE), which went public back on May 22. One of the analysts making a call on the stock was KeyBanc Capital Markets equity research analyst Scott Schoenhaus, who gave it an Overweight rating. He explains why in the video above. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination Overtime here. So, Hinge is an app-based platform. The provider, the therapist, is the app themselves. Very much different from, like, a third party, like Teledoc, that was supposed to be an intermediary. So yes, you're correct in comparing it to that the the device itself is the provider. How it's differentiated from a Mirror, for example, is that you actually have real physical therapists guiding you, and there's an AI technology that is measuring a hundred points on your body and actively telling you and encouraging how to do the certain exercises or sessions in a very advanced technology. And then they also send out these devices that help you that stimulate your nerves to help you ease the pain if you're in really chronic pain and can't complete exercises. So, I would say it's a little more technologically advanced, the providers actually a physical therapist, they're leveraging more and more AI to, you know, have leverage these physical therapists or care team members to an actual member, and that's led to, you know, really strong gross margins above 80%. Um, so it's a really, really, um, you know, technology first platform. Who would you consider their competitors, Scott? And what is their competitive advantage? Yeah, the two main competitors are really Sword and Kaia. Um, they're offering sort of digital MSK solutions. MSK? Musculoskeletal? Musculoskeletal, yes. So anything to do with your muscles, skeletons, joints, which is the largest spending in healthcare for America outspends diabetes and cardiovascular. So huge market. But those solutions, for example, send you a tablet. It's not on your phone. They don't have the technology, the 3D technology like we talked about to measure the hundred points on your body. They don't have these Enzo devices. They are not in network with all these health plans in the way that Hinge has done over the last several years, which I think is a really strong competitive moat, that these health plans actually want to use the platform. So they're really seeing, you know, hard dollar ROI. This is something we highlighted in our report this morning. You know, just looking at PT, in-person PT, not even going down the route of back surgeries, which could be very expensive. A PT session is usually $120 per session. You're usually supposed to go two times a week over eight weeks. That can get to almost $2,000. The Hinge cost to your employer is somewhere between $900 and $1,000 per year. Well, I was going to say, though, I mean, when you talk about competition, isn't the biggest competition going to a physical therapist, right? I mean, so how do does something like Hinge Health convince more people to, because as you say, part of it, I guess, is is convincing the employee health employer health plan. There, from a cost perspective, it's probably an easy sell. But if I'm an individual, and I want that, you know, in in person effect, that might be tougher. Yeah. So as someone who actually had has had physical therapy, in-person physical therapy, um I know the struggle of initiating getting someone that's in your network. And then if you have a high deductible plan, you are paying that deductible right at the, you know, your first several appointments could be thousands of dollars. Um, Hinge is really a user-friendly, no cost to the actual user, the employee. Your employer pays all the cost. It's they send you um a, you know, all the technology equipment that you need to like put your phone up, a mat, they send you this Enzo device that we talked about. Um, so they are trying to get people engaged on the platform in a very user-friendly and seamless way that avoids all the, you know, the the pains of going to an in-person physical therapist. You have to take off time. I mean, it's it can be a cumbersome process just to even find a physical therapist that's in your network that will be covered by your insurance provider.
Health Line
02-06-2025
- Business
- Health Line
Does Medicare Cover Physical Therapy
Key takeaways Medicare Part B covers 80% of physical therapy costs that are considered medically necessary after meeting your Part B deductible. To be covered, physical therapy must involve skilled services from qualified professionals like physical therapists or doctors, and your therapist must document that services remain medically necessary after costs exceed $2,410 in 2025. Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans cover medically necessary physical therapy and may include additional services like dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage, while Medigap plans can help cover out-of-pocket costs of Original Medicare like deductibles and copayments. PT can be an important part of treatment or recovery for various conditions. It focuses on restoring functionality, relieving pain, and increasing mobility. Physical therapists work closely with you to treat or manage a variety of conditions, including but not limited to musculoskeletal injuries, stroke, and Parkinson's disease. Medicare covers some of the costs of PT. Keep reading to find out which parts of Medicare cover PT and when. When does Medicare cover physical therapy? Medicare Part B will help to pay for outpatient PT that's medically necessary. A service is considered medically necessary when it's needed to reasonably diagnose or treat a condition or illness. PT can be considered necessary to: improve your current condition maintain your current condition slow further deterioration of your condition For PT to be covered, it must involve skilled services from a qualified professional like a physical therapist or doctor. For example, something like providing general exercises for overall fitness wouldn't be covered as PT under Medicare. Your physical therapist should give you written notice before providing you with any services that wouldn't be covered under Medicare so you can decide whether to have them. Which parts of Medicare cover physical therapy? Let's further break down the different parts of Medicare and how the coverage provided relates to PT. Part A Medicare Part A is inpatient hospital insurance. It covers things like: inpatient stays at: hospitals mental health facilities rehabilitation centers skilled nursing facilities hospice care home healthcare Part A can cover inpatient rehabilitation and PT services when they're considered medically necessary to improve your condition after hospitalization. Part B Medicare Part B is outpatient medical insurance. It covers medically necessary outpatient services. Part B may also cover some preventive services. Medicare Part B covers medically necessary PT. This includes both the diagnosis and treatment of conditions or illnesses that affect your ability to function. You can receive this type of care at the following types of facilities: medical offices privately practicing physical therapists hospital outpatient departments outpatient rehabilitation centers skilled nursing facilities (when Medicare Part A doesn't apply) at home (using a Medicare-approved service) Medicare Advantage (Part C) Medicare Part C plans are also known as Medicare Advantage. Unlike parts A and B, they're offered by private companies that Medicare has approved. Medicare Advantage plans must cover the same as Original Medicare's parts A and B, and this includes medically necessary PT. These plans can also cover additional services, like dental, vision, and prescription drugs. What's included in a Medicare Advantage plan varies by plan type, insurer, and location. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you should check for information regarding any plan-specific rules for therapy services. Part D Medicare Part D provides prescription drug coverage. Like Medicare Advantage, private companies approved by Medicare administer Part D plans. The medication covered can vary by plan. Part D plans don't cover PT. However, if prescription medications are a part of your treatment or recovery plan, Part D may cover them. Medigap Medigap is also called Medicare supplement insurance. Private companies administer these plans, and they can cover some of the out-of-pocket costs associated with Original Medicare, including: deductibles copayments coinsurance medical care when you're traveling outside the United States Although Medigap may not cover PT, some policies may help to cover the associated copayments or deductibles. How much does physical therapy cost? The cost of PT can vary greatly, and many factors can affect the cost, including: your insurance plan the specific type of PT services that you need the duration or number of sessions involved in your PT treatment how much your physical therapist charges your location the type of facility you're using Coinsurance can also be a big factor in Medicare PT costs. Medicare coinsurance is a percentage amount you must pay toward each visit. Medicare pays 80% of an approved fee for PT, and you must pay 20%. You may also have to pay anything your physical therapist charges over the Medicare-approved fee. If you need to have many PT sessions, this cost can quickly add up. A 2019 study found that the average outpatient PT expenditure per participant was $1,488 annually. This varied by diagnosis, with neurological conditions and joint replacement expenditures being higher while genitourinary conditions and vertigo were lower. Coverage and payments Once you've met your Part B deductible, which is $257 for 2025, Medicare will pay 80% of your PT costs. You'll be responsible for paying the remaining 20%. There's no longer a cap on the PT costs that Medicare will cover. After your total PT costs exceed a specific threshold, your physical therapist must confirm that the services provided remain medically necessary for your condition. For 2025, this threshold is $2,410. Your physical therapist will use documentation to show that your treatment is medically necessary. This includes evaluations of your condition and progress as well as a treatment plan with the following information: diagnosis the specific type of PT you'll be receiving the long-term PT treatment goals number of PT sessions you'll receive in a single day or single week total number of PT sessions needed Until 2028, when total PT costs exceed $3,000, a targeted medical review may be performed. However, not all claims are subject to this review process. Estimating your out-of-pocket costs Although you may not know exactly how much PT will cost, it's possible to come up with an estimate. Try the following: Speak with your physical therapist to know how much your treatment will cost. Check with your insurer to find out how much of this cost they will cover. Compare the two numbers to estimate the amount you'll need to pay out-of-pocket. Remember to include things like coinsurance and deductibles in your estimate. Which Medicare plans may be best if you need physical therapy? Original Medicare parts A and B cover medically necessary PT. If you know you'll need it in the coming year, having just these parts may meet your needs. If you're concerned about additional costs that aren't covered by parts A and B, you may consider adding a Medigap plan which can help pay for some of Original Medicare's out-of-pocket costs. Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans include the coverage from parts A and B. However, they may also cover additional services. If you'll need coverage of dental, vision, or fitness programs in addition to PT, consider a Medicare Advantage plan. Part D includes prescription drug coverage. It can be added to Original Medicare and is often already included in Medicare Advantage plans. If you already take prescription medications or know that they may be a part of your treatment plan, Part D may be right for you. The takeaway Medicare Part B covers outpatient PT when it's medically necessary, which means that the PT you receive is required to reasonably diagnose or treat your condition. There's no cap on the PT costs that Medicare will cover. However, after a certain threshold, your physical therapist must confirm that the services you're receiving are still medically required. Other Medicare plans, such as Medicare Advantage and Medigap, can also cover costs associated with PT. If you're looking at one of these, remember to compare several options before selecting one since coverage can vary by insurer.
