June's Focus: Payment
This month, keep your focus on what fuels your practice: payment. From reimbursement updates and payer advocacy wins to strategies for protecting revenue and navigating today’s payment landscape, In Focus delivers the insights and resources you need to stay informed, stay prepared, and keep your practice moving forward.
Beyond the Treatment Table - Payment
June 25 | 1-2 pm Eastern | 10-11 am Pacific
Host: Stephanie Telibasa, PT, DPT
Guests: Mike Horsfield, PT, MBA, Bob Hall, JD, MPAff, and Kelly Sanders, PT, DPT, ATC
June’s topic is payment, and we plan to highlight all the resources available to optimize payment strategies for your practice. Understanding payment models, navigating reimbursement challenges, and maximizing revenue are all key to running a successful business. Whether you're dealing with private insurance, Medicare, or direct-to-consumer payment models, APTA Private Practice has the resources and expert insights to help you stay ahead.
Optional prep work: review the payment resources page and watch last year’s replay to build on the conversation.
This event is open to everyone so sign up today - and invite a friend!
Have a question? We are eager to address your concerns and make this live event valuable. Use the form below to submit any questions you'd like covered, and we will do our best to address as many as we can.
On Demand
Navigating Out-of-Network Billing and Practice Issues
As reimbursement rates continue to decline while practice expenses rise, more providers are considering going out-of-network (OON). This session explores the financial and operational realities of OON practice, including billing strategies, Medicare Advantage considerations, balance billing, accepting assignment, and managing claims without a payer contract. Attendees will gain practical guidance to evaluate whether an OON model is right for their practice and how to successfully navigate the transition.
Click here to register and learn more.
Contracting for Smart PTs: Strategic Contracting Series
Empower yourself to confidently navigate payer contracts with this new on-demand series. Gain essential knowledge, practical tools, and resources to strategically assess and choose which contracts to negotiate. This 7-module program provides templates and real-world insights, equipping you to effectively advocate for your practice and patients.
Payer Contracting for Physical Therapy
In this 90-minute webinar, take a deep dive into payer contracting. Develop an action plan for evaluating current contracts, understanding key terms that should be negotiated, understanding market conditions that create favorable conditions for negotiating, and steps to determine if a new contract is favorable or not.
Click here to learn more and register.
State Payer Advocacy Resource Consortium (SPARC)
The State Payer Advocacy Resource Consortium is a collaborative endeavor between APTA, APTA Private Practice and APTA Orthopedicsto bring you new materials to help you succeed with payer advocacy in your state. Access the resources available to help you and your patients advocate against prior authorization, get model contract language and other contract negotiation tools, and find templates for appealing denials.
Upcoming In-Person Events
APTA Payment Advocacy Summit - Register before June 12!
July 15-26, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
APTA Private Practice is proud to collaborate with APTA in bringing this first-ever payment summit bringing together PT leaders, advocates, and payment experts to focus on strengthening payments, reducing administrative burdens, and advancing alternative care models.
2026 Annual Conference
November 11-14, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
Stay ahead in an evolving reimbursement landscape through the Payment track at the APTA Private Practice 2026 Annual Conference. Designed for practice owners and leaders, this programming focuses on the financial strategies that drive practice sustainability and growth—from payer relations and reimbursement trends to billing optimization, revenue cycle management, and payment advocacy. Gain actionable insights to improve collections, navigate insurance challenges, maximize revenue opportunities, and strengthen your practice’s financial future in an increasingly complex healthcare environment.
Browse the Payment offerings here.
Registration is now open! Click here to learn more.
Medicare Resources
2026 Outpatient Therapy Regulatory and Payment Updates
Released on December 18, 2025, this webinar provides an overview of the regulatory and payment changes impacting physical therapy under original Medicare. The webinar discusses the new remote therapeutic monitoring CPT codes that can be billed by physical therapists and physical therapist assistants and ICD-10 diagnosis code changes that went into effect on October 1, 2025. Finally, the webinar reviews policy changes from Aetna, Anthem BCBS, Cigna, and Humana.
Click here to view the recording.
Opting Out of Medicare - Why PTs Can’t and How PTs Can Change That Through Legislative Advocacy
Current Medicare law prevents cash-based physical therapy practices from treating Medicare beneficiaries, often disrupting long-term patient relationships when patients turn 65. In this video, Rick Gawenda, Bob Hall, and Kelly Delmore discuss the Medicare Patient Choice Act (H.R. 4204), what it could mean for PTs and patients, and how you can advocate for greater flexibility, continuity of care, and patient choice.
Click here to watch the video.
Impact Magazine
- That Cactus Thorn in Your Side: 9 proven strategies for reducing and resolving claim denials
- Once Bitten, Twice Shy: What I found out the hard way about Medicare coverage
- Is That Profitable New Device Just a Mirage? 4 ways to assess if the “next big thing” is worth it
- How to Bloom in a Drought: When the cash is drying up, take action
Mark your calendar!
Ask the Experts: Direct-to-Employer Conversations
July 15 | 1-2 pm Eastern | 10-11 am Pacific
Moderators: Kelly Sanders, PT, DPT, ATC, and Josh Bailey, PT, DPT
Whether participants are actively involved in the Direct-to-Employer Services Designation Program or beginning to explore D2E opportunities, the session will feature discussion around real-world questions, common challenges, and practical topics relevant to implementing and growing D2E services.