Direct Access Law Passed!
As of August 2018, Gov. Rauner signed House Bill 4643 to go into effect immediately. This bill states that a patient no longer needs a doctor's prescription to begin physical therapy in Illinois. If a patient becomes injured, the patient will be able to directly contact a physical therapist to begin treatment immediately, instead of waiting for a doctor's appointment to receive a prescription for physical therapy. This ensures a speedier recovery and reduced out of pocket costs, in some cases, up to 80% for the patient.
For Medicare Patients:
We do not need a prescription for your first visit. We will need a physician's name as we will need a signature for your plan of care
For Commercial Insurance:
Give us a call to schedule your first appointment. We check with your insurance to see if they require a prescription.
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“Physical therapy has been proven effective in treating joint pain and mobility issues,” Rauner said. “Seeing a physical therapist promptly and starting a rehabilitative course of treatment quickly can reduce or eliminate the need for potentially addicting pain medications, and can reduce overall health care costs. This legislation is a win for everyone.” Gov. Bruce Rauner
“Studies across the country have shown that direct access to physical therapy is extremely cost-effective, reducing total health care costs by as much as 30 percent and, in some cases, reducing patients’ out-of-pocket costs by as much as 80 percent. The most important benefit, however, is that studies have shown an amazing 90 percent reduction in opioid use when consumers have access to physical therapy,” he continued. “Since physical therapy is a non-addictive treatment that helps manage pain, thousands of Illinois pain sufferers will get relief without opioids. The health and cost benefits of this alone are staggering.” said Mike Riley, president, Illinois Physical Therapy Association.
Nicholas, Matthew. “Governor Signs New Law to Facilitate Access to Physical Therapy Services.” Illinois Physical Therapy Association, 2018,