Aquatic Therapy

A quick review of the requirements for aquatic therapy. While details are below, here are the steps to follow:

1. Patient must meet medical necessity criteria (defined below).

2. Patient must have a PRIVATE pool (not community or public).

3. Request pre-approval by Connie through HUCU or Task.

4. Ensure coding that is used is for Aquatic Therapy (not therapeutic exercise).

Medical Necessity Criteria:

Aquatic Therapy with Therapeutic Exercise

This procedure uses the therapeutic properties of water (e.g., buoyancy, resistance). Hydrotherapy is useful in post- operative extremity (joint) rehabilitation (e.g., total hip or knee arthroplasty, total shoulder, elbow, wrist arthroplasty).Aquatic therapy with therapeutic exercise may be considered medically necessary if at least one of the following conditions is present and documented:

• the patient has rheumatoid arthritis;

• the patient has had a cast removed and requiring mobilization of limbs;

• the patient has paraparesis or hemiparesis;

• the patient has had a recent amputation;

• the patient is recovering from a paralytic condition;

• the patient requires limb mobilization after a head trauma; or

• the patient is unable to tolerate exercise for rehabilitation under gravity based weight bearing.

Requirement for Private Pool

When therapy services may be furnished appropriately in a community pool by a clinician in a physical therapist or occupational therapist private practice, physician office, outpatient hospital, or outpatient SNF, the practice/office or provider shall rent or lease the pool, or a specific portion of the pool. The use of that part of the pool during specified times shall be restricted to the patients of that practice or provider. The written agreement to rent or lease the pool shall be available for review on request. When part of the pool is rented or leased, the agreement shall describe the part of the pool that is used exclusively by the patients of that practice/office or provider and the times that exclusive use applies.