Category: Physical Therapist Assistant CEUs

Lawmakers Want Answers From CMS on Planned 2021 Payment Cuts

Occupational therapist assistant continuing education courses, Physical Therapist Assistant CEUs, Physical Therapist Assistants, Physical Therapist CEUs by Flex Therapist

Explain yourself: That’s the message of a bipartisan letter to CMS signed by 99 members of the U.S. House of Representatives who are concerned about the agency’s plan to make cuts to Medicare that include an estimated 8% reduction in payment to PTs. APTA led efforts to inform legislators of the issue.

And if that’s not enough to get CMS to take another look at the planned cut, maybe a letter from a prominent U.S. senator might help.

In a February 5 letter, the representatives write that their constituents have concerns about whether the planned cuts will reduce access to health services. In order to respond to those concerns, the legislators are asking about the process CMS used to reach the decision to reduce the reimbursement for services furnished by certain providers in 2021 in order to accommodate increases to values of the office/outpatient evaluation and management codes, known as E/M codes.

Full article at APTA

Occupational Therapist continuing education courses

Is it good to run every day?

Physical Therapist Assistant CEUs, Physical Therapist Assistants, Physical Therapist CEUs by Flex Therapist

Running every day can have many benefits. However, the number of days in a row that it is safe to run depends on a person’s goals, their level of fitness, and whether they have any ongoing medical conditions.

A meta-analysis from 2015 found that in physically inactive adults, 1 year of routine running:

  • reduced body mass
  • lowered body fat ratio
  • reduced resting heart rate
  • increased maximum oxygen uptake
  • raised levels of high-density lipoprotein, or “good,” cholesterol

Full article at Medical News Today

CEUs for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, and Occupational Therapists

Calf stretches and how to do them

Physical Therapist Assistant CEUs, Physical Therapist Assistants, Physical Therapist CEUs, Physical Therapy by Flex Therapist

The calf muscles run from the back of the knee to about halfway down the lower leg. Tightness in these muscles can cause soreness and pain.

People may develop tight calf muscles as a result of overactivity or insufficient stretching. Calf stretches can help relieve associated soreness and pain.

However, these stretches are unlikely to provide relief from other causes of calf pain — such as electrolyte, fluid, or nutrient deficiencies. In some people, calf pain results from more serious underlying medical conditions, such as deep vein thrombosis and peripheral vascular disease. These require medical attention.

Full article at Medical News Today

Visit Flex for Physical Therapist continuing education units and more