Physical Therapy

MsLady

If an EE has to go to Physical Therapy during normal business hours, do we have to pay for the time the EE is out of the office? (this is due to a WC claim) Thank you so much for your assistance!

Kari

sandra_d

It may depend on the laws of your state ... my experience has been that the time away does not need to be paid by you, but it is then paid by work comp - therefore, increasing the costs of the claim, which will ultimately come back as increased mod factor/increased premium costs to you. We have encouraged staff to schedule their PT appts (as well as MD, chiropractor, etc) appts outside of their normal work hours. When staff have told us that they can't get an appt scheduled outside of their work hours, we "assist" them by calling and scheduling appointments for them. If their therapy has just been ordered, it is likely that their options for appointments will be limited. However, (in my experience) therapy appointments scheduled out a few weeks can often be scheduled for whenever the employee chooses.

MsLady

Thank you so much for your time and advise!

Kari

LindaS

We go ahead and pay them for their time. If we don't, the WC carrier will and will increase the amount of the claim. I advise employees to schedule the appts. for as late in the day as possible and most do. I haven't really run into too many problems with this.

tmills

If the only time needed is for physical therapy, which is an hour a
couple of times a week, WC isn't going to pay are they? They have to be
off more than 7 days before WC pays anything.

I just happen to have a situation like that right now. We are encouraging
the employee to schedule therapy after work hours.

LindaS

Here in Wisconsin they would get paid which is why we go ahead and pay the time missed. The employee also gets mileage for driving to and from the appointments. Once the employee has missed 7 days (remember these days need not be consecutive), they are paid for ALL time missed. This includes an hour here or there for appointments.

ssims

Not in Missouri, it's only 3 days and WC will pay if you don't. Best to control the injury, you make the appointments and notify the Therapy provider to notify you if they don't show or try to change the appointment. Employees and providers for us are told that only we can make or change appointments.