Our physicians have recently recruited an Athletic Trainer into our practice to provide therapy services for operative and non-operative patients. He thinks he will be reporting services with CPT codes from the 97110-97112 series. Are these the appropriate codes to use for the trainer to provide PT services? We assume we would report these incident-to the physician.

Per Medicare, therapy services provided by an athletic trainer are not covered services and may not be reported as incident-to services. Medicare only covers therapy services for therapists who have received formal therapy PT training. Medicare has specifically excluded athletic trainers from this service if they have not received formal therapy training.

Mary LeGrand, RN, MA, CCS-P, CPC
KarenZupko & Associates, Inc.