Occupational Therapy

What is occupational therapy?

Illness or injury can make it hard to do some of the everyday things you used to do. Occupational therapy (OT) helps you regain these skills or learn new ways to do things. For example, you may learn new ways to:

• eat
• cook
• bathe and dress
• do common household tasks
• keep doing your usual work activities.

When may occupational therapy be needed?

You may need OT if you have had:

• broken bones that make it hard to do everyday tasks
• a hand injury or surgery
• joint replacement surgery
• a stroke or other type of paralysis
• lung disease
• a head injury
• a severe vision problem, including blindness
• any illness or injury that affects your ability to do your job.

If you are a frail older adult, an occupational therapist can assess your ability to wash, bathe, and dress. The therapist can give advice on the kind of help you may need.

What does an occupational therapist do to help me?

The therapist helps you learn ways to do everyday tasks despite your disability or illness. The therapist may:

• Teach you shortcuts and how to use special equipment, such as reachers, special kitchen utensils, or shower stools and grab bars.
• Make hand splints and show you how to do hand exercises.
• Check out your home or workplace and suggest ways you can do things more easily and safely.

Where do I get occupational therapy?

Therapy can be done in the hospital, in a clinic, or at home.

What is the Medicare coverage for occupational therapy?

Medicare helps pay for medically necessary therapy when:

• Your healthcare provider or therapist sets up the plan of treatment.
• Your provider reviews the plan from time to time to see how long you will get therapy.

Medicare pays a percentage of an OT bill that it approves. If you need therapy when you are a patient in the hospital, the therapy is part of the total bill. Medicare pays the hospital a specific rate based on your medical problem. You are responsible for deductibles and parts of the bills not covered by Medicare. If you have a Medicare supplemental plan, the plan may cover these charges. The amounts you must pay may be higher if an occupational therapist does not accept Medicare assignment.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File phsp4419.htm Release 13/2010