The Medicare Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) 15% payment differential took effect on January 1, 2022 and affects reimbursement for Medicare Part B therapy services performed by occupational therapy and physical therapist assistants as well. We have been advocating to protect the profession and to preserve access to occupational therapy services in light of this new payment policy. Learn more about our legislative and regulatory advocacy to educate policymakers and minimize the impact of the 15% payment differential for occupational therapy services, including our recent grassroots advocacy campaigns with Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
These cuts are a threat to occupational therapy assistants, who are a crucial part of the occupational therapy workforce needed to help people regain or maintain function that might otherwise be lost. The policy may leave many seniors—especially those in underserved and rural areas—with less access to critical occupational therapy services.
We have been successful in getting positive changes to how Medicare implements this policy since it was introduced in 2018. We continue to advocate with CMS and Congress to further protect occupational therapy assistants and Medicare beneficiaries with a focus on:
With the release of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule, AOTA now has final guidance on when and how the OTA modifier is applied for occupational therapy services (a PTA modifier follows the same rules for physical therapy services).
