This course will be presented live on December 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT 

Course level: Multiple Levels

The start of a new year brings important regulatory, reimbursement, and policy updates that impact physical therapy practices. This webinar will review key Medicare and commercial payer changes for 2027, helping participants understand how these updates may affect billing, reimbursement, and practice operations.

Topics will include updates to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, Medicare Part B payment policies, remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM), and ICD-10 diagnosis code changes effective October 1, 2026. The webinar will also cover updates to Medicare telehealth policies, therapy thresholds, and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), along with relevant policy changes from major commercial insurers, including Aetna, Anthem BCBS, Cigna, and Humana.

This workshop will be presented live on December 9 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT 

Course level: Intermediate / Advanced

The CMS CY2027 Physician Fee Schedule rule includes timely updates to Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) delivery models and payment adjustments. This workshop bridges the knowledge gap between regulatory compliance and financial sustainability. Participants will evaluate strategic options for sustainable RTM operational models in our 3rd-party payer environment, as well as explore emerging models for RTM in non-Fee-For-Service (non-FFS), cash-supported hybrid pathways. Physical therapy clinic owners and administrators will be exposed to designs of value-driven care packages, feel more confident in execution of seamless clinical workflows, implement effective patient messaging, and structure compliant vendor/contractor agreements. By aligning modern digital health tools with direct-to-consumer value propositions, practices can mitigate payment decline, improve access to care, and unlock sustainable revenue streams.

Immediate Take-Home Value: Participants will receive timely regulatory updates to ensure RTM compliance, as well as emerging frameworks for non-FFS hybrid care packages that leverage RTM, complete with pricing model considerations, patient communication scripts, and vendor agreement contracting templates.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Analyze the impact of the finalized CMS CY2027 Physician Fee Schedule in relation to RTM regulations.
2. Evaluate, differentiate, and select operational pathways of RTM delivery in the 3rd-party payer and non-FFS programs to maintain patient engagement, optimize outcomes, decrease provider burden, and ensure sustainable financial viability.
3. Design and implement a non-FFS RTM-supported care package, patient communication workflows, and compliant 3rd-party vendor agreement frameworks

In its Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Updates series, APTA's Health Policy and Payment team will provide an overview of the most significant and impactful federal regulatory and commercial payer policy updates in 2026.

Get inside intel from APTA's Health Policy and Payment team on the most significant and impactful federal and commercial payer policy updates in 2026.

Throughout the year, APTA's regulatory staff will provide regular updates on federal rulemaking impacting policy and payment for both outpatient providers (Medicare Physician Fee Schedule) and institutional, post-acute care providers (home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care hospitals). APTA will cover both proposed and final rules, and may address other nonrecurring federal rules that impact physical therapists.

And on the commercial payer front, you’ll receive regular roundups of significant updates to private payer policies, including changes at both national and regional levels.

This bundle includes all five webinars scheduled for the 2026 Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Updates series.

Earn CEU: Earn 0.65 CEU (6.5 contact hours) upon completion of all courses. 

Get inside intel from APTA's Health Policy and Payment team on the most significant and impactful federal and commercial payer policy updates in 2026.

Throughout the year, APTA's regulatory staff will provide regular updates on federal rulemaking impacting policy and payment for both outpatient providers (Medicare Physician Fee Schedule) and institutional, post-acute care providers (home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care hospitals). APTA will cover both proposed and final rules, and may address other nonrecurring federal rules that impact physical therapists.

And on the commercial payer front, you’ll receive regular roundups of significant updates to private payer policies, including changes at both national and regional levels.

This registration is for the April 2 webinar, which covers developments October-November 2026. 

Please note: CEUs are available in all states except Ohio (1.5 contact hours).

Course Instructions

1. Click on the Contents tab to watch the course recording.
2. Click the Take Quiz button to complete the assessment. Learners will have 3 attempts to pass and must answer at least 70% of questions correctly.
3. Click Fill Out Survey under the Evaluation listing to provide valuable course feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window.
4. Click the View/Print Your Certificate button under the Certificate listing. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the APTA Learning Center and clicking the CEU Certificate/Transcript link on the left-hand side of the page. 

Need Assistance?

For assistance logging in, accessing activities, claiming credit, or for other questions or concerns please email [email protected]. 

Participants can purchase each phase individually or save by purchasing the complete three-phase series bundle.

.035 CEUs/ 3.5 Contact Hours
Course Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Multiple Levels

Phase 2: Treatment and In-Clinic Administrative Processes of the Administrative Training Series focuses on the administrative and revenue-cycle processes that occur from the patient’s first appointment through claim submission, payment, and accounts-receivable follow-up. Participants will learn how effective communication, scheduling, payment collection, accurate billing, denial prevention, and organized follow-up support the patient experience and the financial health of the practice.

Part 1: First Appointment addresses the administrative team’s role during the patient’s first appointment and throughout the episode of care. Participants will learn how arrival procedures, effective communication, plan-of-care discussions, scheduling, and payment collection work together to create a positive patient experience and support successful practice operations.

Part 2: Claims and Billing Fundamentals introduces the foundational concepts and processes involved in submitting accurate claims for outpatient therapy services. Participants will examine the CMS-1500 claim form, CPT coding, billing rules, modifiers, claim edits, and strategies for preventing common claim rejections and denials.

Part 3: Accounts Receivable and Payment Processing focuses on the processes and practices used to monitor, collect, and manage outstanding payer and patient balances. Participants will learn the fundamentals of accounts receivable, effective tracking and follow-up, EOB review, rejection and denial workflows, and patient payment and statement management.

Throughout Phase 2, emphasis is placed on creating a positive patient experience, maintaining effective communication, ensuring accurate billing and claim submission, preventing and resolving denials, managing outstanding balances, and supporting timely payment collection and the financial health of the practice.

Upon completion of this series, participants will be able to:

• Apply effective administrative and communication practices throughout the patient’s first visit and ongoing episode of care.
• Coordinate plan-of-care communication, scheduling, and payment collection to support patient understanding, engagement, and continuity of care.
• Explain foundational claims and billing concepts, including the CMS-1500 claim form, CPT coding, billing rules, modifiers, and claim edits.
• Identify common causes of claim rejections and denials and apply strategies to prevent and resolve avoidable billing issues.
• Describe effective accounts-receivable processes, including tracking outstanding balances, reviewing EOBs, managing follow-up workflows, and collecting patient payments.

Part 1: First Appointment, topics include: 

1. Arrival/First Visit
The first visit is critical for setting the patient up for a positive patient experience with the practice. This session reviews essential arrival and check-in processes.  Participants will learn how to engage with the patient beyond transactional information and how to successfully set the stage for a successful patient journey. 

2. Communication Skills Along the Journey
Effective communication is essential throughout the patient’s journey, from the initial appointment through completion of care. This session explores practical strategies for communicating clearly, professionally, and empathetically while responding to patient questions, concerns, and changing needs.

3. Explaining the Plan of Care, Scheduling, and Collecting Payment
Administrative team members play an important role in helping patients understand the practical aspects of carrying out their plan of care. This session reviews strategies for reinforcing scheduling expectations, supporting adherence to the recommended visit plan, and collecting patient payments accurately and professionally.

Part 2: Claims and Billing Fundamentals, topics include: 

1. CMS-1500 Overview
The CMS-1500 claim form communicates essential patient, provider, insurance, and service information to the payer. This session introduces the form’s primary components and explains how accurate and complete claim information supports timely processing and payment.

2. CPT Coding Basics and Billing Rules
CPT codes provide a standardized method for reporting the services furnished to patients. This session introduces foundational outpatient therapy coding concepts and billing rules, emphasizing the importance of accurately translating documented services into claims.

3. Modifiers and Edits
Modifiers provide additional information about a service, while claim edits help payers evaluate whether reported services meet applicable billing requirements. This session explains the purpose of common modifiers and edits and identifies how their correct application can reduce billing errors and payment delays.

4. Preventing Claim Rejections and Denials
Claim rejections and denials can delay payment, increase administrative work, and negatively affect the practice’s revenue cycle. This session identifies common causes of rejected and denied claims and presents practical strategies for improving claim accuracy and preventing avoidable problems before submission.

Part 3: Accounts Receivable and Payment Processing, topics include: 

1. Accounts Receivable Basics
Accounts receivable represents money owed to the practice for services that have already been provided. This session introduces essential AR concepts, aging categories, common benchmarks, and the importance of timely follow-up in maintaining a healthy revenue cycle.

2. Organizing and Tracking Accounts Receivable Effectively
A structured tracking process helps practices identify outstanding claims, prioritize follow-up, and prevent balances from being overlooked. This session reviews practical methods for organizing AR work, assigning responsibility, documenting actions, and monitoring progress toward resolution.

3. Fundamentals of an Explanation of Benefits
An Explanation of Benefits provides important information about how a payer processed a claim, including allowed amounts, payments, adjustments, denials, and patient responsibility. This session explains the primary components of an EOB and how to use that information to determine the appropriate next step.

4. Creating Effective Rejection and Denial Workflows
Consistent workflows help practices respond to rejected and denied claims promptly and identify recurring problems. This session reviews how to categorize issues, determine corrective actions, document follow-up, meet applicable deadlines, and use denial trends to improve front-end and billing processes.

5. Managing Over-the-Counter Payments and Statements
Timely collection and clear patient statements are essential components of patient-balance management. This session presents best practices for collecting and documenting over-the-counter payments, communicating outstanding balances, and producing statements that are accurate, understandable, and consistent with practice policies.

This series was recorded in 2026. 

Get inside intel from APTA's Health Policy and Payment team on the most significant and impactful federal and commercial payer policy updates in 2026.

Throughout the year, APTA's regulatory staff will provide regular updates on federal rulemaking impacting policy and payment for both outpatient providers (Medicare Physician Fee Schedule) and institutional, post-acute care providers (home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care hospitals). APTA will cover both proposed and final rules, and may address other nonrecurring federal rules that impact physical therapists.

And on the commercial payer front, you’ll receive regular roundups of significant updates to private payer policies, including changes at both national and regional levels.

This registration is for the April 2 webinar, which covers developments September-October 2026. 

Please note: CEUs are available in all states, now including Ohio (1 contact hours).

Course Instructions

1. Click on the Contents tab to watch the course recording.
2. Click the Take Quiz button to complete the assessment. Learners will have 3 attempts to pass and must answer at least 70% of questions correctly.
3. Click Fill Out Survey under the Evaluation listing to provide valuable course feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window.
4. Click the View/Print Your Certificate button under the Certificate listing. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the APTA Learning Center and clicking the CEU Certificate/Transcript link on the left-hand side of the page. 

Need Assistance?

For assistance logging in, accessing activities, claiming credit, or for other questions or concerns please email [email protected]. 

This course was presented live on September 23, 2026 | On-Demand recording now available!

.01 CEUs/ 1.0 Contact Hours
Course Level: Intermediate

Outpatient physical therapy practices are facing growing pressure to respond to artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini, often without clear evidence of how patients are actually using them. At the same time, practice owners must make careful business decisions in an environment shaped by narrow margins, staffing constraints, and changing referral patterns. This session explores how patients research physical therapy care and decide where to seek treatment, using early data from multi-clinic patient surveys across orthopedic, vestibular, and geriatric populations. The session reviews how patients use AI tools, traditional search engines, and practice websites during different stages of the decision process. Differences in behavior based on age and clinical need are discussed, along with the limits of current data. The goal is not to promote new technology, but to help participants understand what the data suggests and where uncertainty remains. The content is directly tied to physical therapy business management through its focus on patient acquisition, visibility, and marketing decision-making in independent practices. Participants will learn how to evaluate claims about AI-driven marketing using a structured, practical framework that reflects patient behavior and real-world practice constraints. The session supports disciplined decision-making and helps practice owners determine when it may be reasonable to ignore emerging trends, when to observe them, and when limited testing may be appropriate. 

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
• Describe how patients use AI tools, search engines, and practice websites when choosing an outpatient physical therapy clinic
• Distinguish between evidence-supported patient behaviors and industry hype related to AI visibility and local practice discovery.
• Apply a decision framework to determine whether to ignore, monitor, or invest in AI-related marketing strategies for physical therapy practices.
• Identify which patient populations are most and least likely to use AI tools when researching physical therapy care.

Participants can purchase each phase individually or save by purchasing the complete three-phase series bundle.

.035 CEUs/ 3.5 Contact Hours
Course Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Multiple Levels

In Phase 1: Pre-Arrival of the Administrative Training Series, we will introduce the foundational knowledge and skills administrative professionals need before a patient begins care. 

Part 1: First Contact introduces the foundational knowledge and administrative processes needed to successfully manage a patient’s first contact with an outpatient therapy practice. Participants will explore the outpatient therapy environment, effective first-contact practices, direct access, insurance terminology, commercial insurance and Medicare fundamentals, benefits verification, and authorization.

Part 2: Financial and Benefits Preparation focuses on preparing patients and the practice for the financial aspects of outpatient therapy before treatment begins. Participants will learn about financial paperwork, self-pay options, communicating benefit information and patient financial responsibility, navigating challenging financial conversations, and documenting patient responsibility.

Throughout Phase 1, emphasis is placed on creating a positive first impression, gathering accurate information, establishing clear expectations, and preparing both the patient and the practice for a successful episode of care.

Upon completion of this series, participants will be able to:

• Explain foundational outpatient therapy, insurance, Medicare, direct-access, and self-pay concepts relevant to the patient intake process.
• Apply effective communication and customer-service practices to create a positive first impression and gather accurate patient information.
• Perform foundational insurance verification and authorization processes and identify when additional follow-up or escalation is needed.
• Prepare and explain required financial information, including benefits, practice policies, anticipated patient responsibility, and payment expectations, without guaranteeing insurance coverage or payment.
• Apply Phase 1 concepts to common first-contact and financial-preparation scenarios and identify relevant performance indicators for evaluating administrative effectiveness.

Part 1: First Contact, topics include: 

1. ABCs of Outpatient Therapy
This session introduces the role of outpatient physical therapy within the broader continuum of care. It also establishes how effective administrative processes support patient access, clinical operations, financial performance, and the overall patient experience.

2. First Impressions
A patient’s first interaction with a practice can shape the entire care experience. This session presents strategies for creating a positive first impression and identifies common communication mistakes that can negatively affect patient confidence and engagement.

3. Direct Access
Direct access allows patients to receive physical therapy services without first obtaining a referral when permitted by applicable law and payer requirements. This session reviews the importance of direct access and the administrative processes practices should establish to appropriately manage these patients.

4. ABCs of Insurance Terms
Health insurance has its own language, and administrative professionals need a working knowledge of common terms to communicate effectively with patients and support the revenue cycle. This session explains foundational insurance terminology and demonstrates how these terms apply to benefits, patient responsibility, claims, and payment.

5. ABCs of Commercial Insurance (Commercial Insurance Plan Types & Insurance Payment Methodologies)
Commercial insurers offer a variety of plan types, including HMOs, PPOs, and other benefit arrangements, each with different requirements and patient responsibilities. These sessions explain common commercial insurance plans and payment methodologies and describe how their characteristics affect patient access, billing, reimbursement, and administrative workflows.

6. Insurance Verification
A consistent insurance-verification process helps practices obtain accurate coverage information, communicate anticipated patient responsibility, and reduce preventable payment delays. This session presents best practices for verifying coverage and documenting findings while emphasizing that verification of benefits is not a guarantee of payment.

7. Insurance Authorization
Many payers require prior authorization or ongoing authorization for outpatient therapy services. This session reviews best practices for obtaining and tracking authorizations and reauthorizations and identifies common errors that can result in delayed or denied payment.

8. Medicare (Medicare Introduction & Medicare Part B)
Medicare is a primary payer for many outpatient therapy patients and has specific coverage, billing, documentation, and patient-notification requirements. These sessions introduce Medicare and Medicare Part B and address common issues—including ABNs and QMB protections—that practices should manage at the beginning of care to reduce compliance and financial risk.

Part 2: Financial and Benefits Preparation, topics include:

1. Discussion of Benefits
Insurance plans manage outpatient therapy benefits in different ways, making it essential to obtain and review relevant coverage information before the patient’s first visit. This session explains the information staff should gather and how to communicate benefit details and anticipated patient responsibility clearly without guaranteeing coverage or payment.

2. Financial Paperwork

Clear financial documents help patients understand practice policies, available benefit information, and their potential financial responsibility before care begins. This session reviews best practices for documenting financial discussions and establishing checks and balances that promote consistency, accuracy, and accountability.

3. Direct Access and Self-Pay
Patients may seek therapy without a referral, lack applicable insurance coverage, exhaust their available benefits, or choose not to use insurance. This session reviews administrative and financial best practices for managing direct-access and self-pay situations in accordance with applicable laws, payer requirements, and practice policies.

This series was recorded in 2026.

On-Demand recording now available!

Course level: Multiple Levels
.01 CEUs/ 1.0 Contact Hours

As Medicare audits continue to rise in frequency and scrutiny, comprehensive and defensible documentation has become indispensable for the sustainability of private practices. This session equips physical therapists and clinic owners with proven strategies to navigate audits successfully while responsibly incorporating emerging AI technologies. Participants will analyze real-world audit scenarios, examine prevalent audit types (e.g., Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE), Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT), and Supplemental Medical Review Contractor (SMRC)), and gain insight into the significant consequences of unsuccessful audits, including claim denials, substantial overpayment recoupments, financial penalties, and potential exclusion from Medicare participation. The session will further address the ethical integration of AI tools in physical therapy documentation, such as ambient scribing and automated compliance checks, while underscoring the essential requirement to explicitly demonstrate skilled intervention (e.g., clinical reasoning, treatment progression, and medical necessity) to support reimbursement and withstand audit review. 

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Identify and differentiate among common Medicare audit types and analyze real-world scenarios to anticipate audit triggers in physical therapy practices.

2. Evaluate the potential financial, operational, and professional consequences of failed Medicare audits, such as claim denials, overpayment recoupments, extrapolated repayments, penalties, and program exclusion.

3. Assess the appropriate integration of AI-powered tools into physical therapy documentation workflows while maintaining ethical standards and regulatory compliance.

4. Apply best practices to explicitly document skilled physical therapy interventions, demonstrating clinical reasoning, treatment progression, and medical necessity to produce defensible records capable of withstanding rigorous audit scrutiny.

On-demand content recorded in September 2026

This course was presented live on August 26, 2026 | On-Demand recording now available!

01 CEUs/ 1.0 Contact Hours
Course Level: Intermediate

Struggling to find a compensation model that attracts, retains, and motivates top rehab talent? Join us to learn what the evidence says about traditional and alternative compensation models, how to avoid common implementation pitfalls, and walk away with practical strategies for designing and rolling out a compensation approach that supports both your clinicians and your business.

This session addresses compensation model design as a core business management function within physical therapy practice ownership and leadership. Participants will review evidence on the effectiveness of traditional (salary/hourly) versus alternative (revenue- and volume-based) compensation structures, and learn how compensation design directly affects clinician retention, productivity, and patient care quality.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to evaluate compensation models against their practice's financial and staffing needs, and apply a step-by-step framework for designing, communicating, and rolling out a new compensation structure while maintaining compliance with wage and hour regulations.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of traditional compensation models and the barriers to adopting alternative models.

• Describe the key components of alternative compensation models, including revenue- vs. volume-based and static vs. sliding-scale structures.

• Apply best-practice strategies for designing, rolling out, and maintaining compliance with a new compensation model.