Does Medicaid Cover Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy can help with a wide range of ailments, from arthritis to stroke and traumatic brain injury. It can help restore function, relieve pain and improve mobility, reducing the need for medication and maintaining health and fitness. Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including inpatient, outpatient and community-based health care centers.

Continue reading to discover whether your Medicaid insurance plan might cover the cost of physical therapy for you.

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Does Medicaid Cover Physical Therapy?

Medicaid benefits are governed on a state-by-state basis. Use the table below to find out about the coverage for physical therapy in your locale.

Note: Data is from 2018 and doesn't include coverage for medically needy citizens. Medically needy individuals should speak to their local Medicaid office to determine eligibility for physical therapy services.

State	Who's Covered for Physical Therapy?	Copayment Required?	Service Limitations
Alabama	N/A	N/A	N/A
Alaska	N/A	N/A	N/A
Arizona	Categorically Needy	Beneficiaries with Transitional Medical Assistance pay $3 per visit	15 sessions each for habilitation and rehabilitation
Arkansas	Categorically Needy	Unknown	Unknown
California	Categorically Needy	$1 per outpatient appointment	Preventing hospitalization and rehab potential required
Colorado	Categorically Needy	No	No
Connecticut	N/A	N/A	N/A
Delaware	Categorically Needy	No	Services must be necessary and reasonable, renewed by a physician every 30 days and can take place at home or in-office.
D.C.	Categorically Needy	No	PA required for reimbursement
Florida	Categorically Needy	No	$1,500 per year maximum for outpatient physical therapy
Georgia	N/A	N/A	N/A
Hawaii	Categorically Needy	No	No
Idaho	Categorically Needy	No	No
Illinois	Not Released	Not Released	Not Released
Indiana	Categorically Needy	No	12 hours every 30 days or 30 therapy sessions per month, requires prior authorization unless ordered by a doctor before hospital discharge
Iowa	Not Released	Not Released	Not Released
Kansas	Categorically Needy	$1 per service date	Six consecutive months of therapy per illness or injury
Kentucky	Categorically Needy	$3	Limit of 20 sessions per year
Louisiana	Categorically Needy	No	Prior authorization required
Maine	Categorically Needy	50 cents to $2 per day, depending on amount, capped at $20 per month	Only applicable to acute conditions with rehab potential, two hours per day
Maryland	Categorically Needy	No	No
Massachusetts	Categorically Needy	No	No
Michigan	Categorically Needy	No	144 units of service per year without PA
Minnesota	Categorically Needy	Not Released	No
Mississippi	Categorically Needy	No	Not Released
Missouri	N/A	N/A	N/A
Montana	Categorically Needy	Income equal to or below 100% of federal poverty line = $4 per visit, above FPL = 10% of total amount	No
Nebraska	Categorically Needy	$1 per session for evaluation services	60 sessions per fiscal year, including physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy
Nevada	Not Released	Not Released	Not Released
New Hampshire	Categorically Needy	No	Not Released
New Jersey	Categorically Needy	No	No
New Mexico	Categorically Needy	$7 for RDI beneficiaries	No
New York	Not Released	Not Released	Not Released
North Carolina	Categorically Needy	No	Prior authorization required and sessions per year are limited
North Dakota	Categorically Needy	$2 per session	15 sessions and one evaluation per year
Ohio	Categorically Needy	No	30 sessions per year without PA
Oklahoma	Categorically Needy	$4 per visit	One evaluation or reevaluation per year; up to 15 sessions per calendar year in an outpatient setting
Oregon	Categorically Needy	No	Coverage based on priority list of services. Day limits apply.
Pennsylvania	N/A	N/A	N/A
Rhode Island	Categorically Needy	No	No
South Carolina	Not Released	Not Released	Not Released
South Dakota	Categorically Needy	No	Not Released
Tennessee	Categorically Needy	No	No
Texas	Categorically Needy	No	Prior authorization required
Utah	Categorically Needy	$4 per session	20 sessions a year, rehab potential required
Vermont	Categorically Needy	No	Physician order required, 30 sessions per year (including occupational and speech therapy), additional services require prior authorization
Virginia	Categorically Needy	$3 per visit	Not Released
Washington	Categorically Needy	No	12 units per year, but more with PA
West Virginia	Categorically Needy	No	20 sessions per calendar year, inclusive of occupational therapy
Wisconsin	Categorically Needy	50 cents to $3 per session, no copay after whichever occurs first out of $1,500 or 30 hours of service per calendar year	Prior authorization required after 35 sessions, excluding evaluations, sessions limited to 90 minutes per service date
Wyoming	Categorically Needy	No	Prior authorization required following initial 20 sessions to confirm medical necessity

Does Medicaid Cover Physical Therapy at Home?

Each state is able to determine coverage, independent of the federal government. Some locations cover physical therapy at home in addition to in an inpatient or outpatient setting, but others don't. Speak to your local Medicaid office to find out whether the cost of home-based physical therapy is included in your insurance plan.

How Many Days of Physical Therapy Does Medicaid Cover?

Medicaid coverage varies significantly by state. For example, in Vermont, beneficiaries are covered for 30 therapy sessions per year, including occupational and speech therapy. In Kentucky, the limit is 20 sessions per year. Some states, such as New Jersey and New Mexico don't place any limitations on the number of days beneficiaries are entitled to receive physical therapy treatment.