As a physician group, can we provide PT/OT to our Medicare patients to help prevent falls?

Yes, the in office ancillary services exception in the Stark rules essentially allows physician groups to provide PT/OT at the same location in which group physicians practice or in other space leased or owned by the group. However, the Stark rules do not allow physician groups to provide PT/OT in patient’s homes, including having an occupational therapist (or anyone else) do a falls risk assessment and facilitate modifications to help reduce falls. However, we can help arrange home falls risk assessments with independent local occupational therapists.