TRICARE Update

On December 12, 2017, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. One important piece of legislation included in the NDAA directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to add physical therapist assistants (PTAs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) to the TRICARE program as an eligible provider of therapy services.

Even though the NDAA is now law, the DOD must now make the change to add PTAs and OTAs as eligible providers of therapy services. The DOD must also establish, in regulations, requirements for the supervision of PTAs and OTAs. Until this is completed, PTAs and OTAs are still unable to treat TRICARE beneficiaries and bill for those services.

So, when do we expect this change to occur and finally allow PTAs and OTAs to treat TRICARE beneficiaries? Before PTAs and OTAs can treat TRICARE patients, the DOD will have to publish ....

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