Direct Access for Physical Therapy in Pennsylvania

Get Fast Relief and Recovery without a Physician’s Prescription 

When injury-related or lifestyle-driven aches and pains become annoyingly severe and start impacting your normal activities, you may often find yourself searching online for instant relief solutions, based on your symptoms. If physical therapy is listed as one of the recommended lines of treatment, you should know that in the state of Pennsylvania, the Direct Access (DA) law allows you to see a DA certified physical therapist, without a prescription from your physician. 

In the past, your only option was to visit a doctor, go through an initial assessment and then get a referral for physiotherapy. However, thanks to the DA law, you now have the option to bypass this visit, save time and money, and get quicker access to a physical therapist. 

How Does Direct Access Physical Therapy Work?

What DA means is that you can seek immediate care and attention without the additional wait for obtaining a physician’s prescription. Moreover, if you have a valid health insurance plan, your Direct Access treatment is covered for up to 30 calendar days from the date of the first treatment, with the following exceptions:

  • A DA certified therapist is permitted to treat you only for neurological, muscular or skeletal conditions. If you have any acute cardiac or pulmonary conditions, or other issues that are beyond the specified scope, the therapist can start the treatment only after consulting your primary health care provider, or after referring you to one.
  • If your DA treatment needs to continue beyond 30 days of the original start date, you will need to provide a referral from your health care provider. In the absence of this, the therapist cannot legally continue to treat you. 
  • A doctor’s referral is mandatory if your treatment falls under auto claims or worker’s compensation claims.

If you or your loved one are in need of a Direct Access physical therapist in and around Philadelphia or the Greater Philadelphia Area, look no further than Medical Rehabilitation Centers of Pennsylvania (MRCP). Each of our locations has at least one certified DA therapist who is equipped with the latest techniques in physical therapy. With decades of experience in treating a wide range of conditions, our therapists will conduct thorough evaluations to determine the root cause of your problem and customize your treatment and rehabilitation plan accordingly.  

We want to ensure that you get immediate care and relief through our Direct Access therapists who will work towards restoring your function and mobility. If you have never been to our clinic before, we are happy to arrange a visit and give you a tour of the facility for a first-hand experience of our overall ambience. You can meet our friendly and professional staff.

Take advantage of the Direct Access facility to save time and money, and put your recovery on the fast track. To book an appointment with one of the DA certified therapists at MRCP, contact us at the location of your choice or fill out our online form.