Direct Access In New Jersey: Did You Know?
With Direct Access you can see a Physical Therapist without a prescription from the doctor!
Direct Access:
In the state of New Jersey, patients can see a Physical Therapist (PT) without a referral or prescription from their doctor.
Why see a PT first?
Streamline the process:
Seeing a PT first can save both time and money by receiving treatment for your injury sooner. Early results from a recent joint study by the APTA, United Healthcare, and Optum demonstrated that there can be benefits to seeing a PT first, such as decreased pain and decreased spending.
Trained professionals:
PTs are trained in movement and movement related injuries, so they can identify what could be causing your pain and how to address it. They are also trained to recognize red flags, ensuring they will refer to a physician when necessary.
The New Jersey provisions require that:
- The PT will refer a patient to another licensed healthcare provider in NJ if at any time during the evaluation or treatment, the PT feels the patient requires services outside of the scope of physical therapy.
- The PT will refer the patient to his/her doctor if the patient fails to make reasonable progress within 30 days.
- Within 30 days the PT will inform the patient’s licensed health care professional about the plan of care.
We advise that you speak with your insurance company as well, as some plans might require that you see a physician first.
If you have an injury and are unsure if Physical Therapy can help, give us a call at any of our 3 Jersey Physical Therapy locations and we would be happy to speak with you about it:
Princeton/Plainsboro: (609) 785-5386
South Brunswick: (732) 297-0032
Milltown/East Brunswick: (732) 418-7033