FAQ

This page contains answers to 

Frequently Asked Questions.

Click on the subjects below.

Licensure | Continuing Education | Practice | Reimbursement

Marketing & Recruiting | Career Information

Q - How can I become licensed to practice in Iowa?

A - The procedures for licensure for PTs and PTAs are described in the state administrative rules implementing the practice act.  Please refer all questions about licensure, the practice act and rules to:

Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy

Iowa Department of Public Health

Lucas State Office Building

321 E 12th St

Des Moines, IA 50319-0075

515/281-4401

Fax 515/281-3121

Q - How can I update my address with the licensure board.

A - You can do that on-line, and there is also information on name changes. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Q - How many hours of continuing education do PTs need? How many hours for PTAs?

A - Iowa PTs need 40 hours of con-ed per biennium (two years).  PTAs need 20 hours. Reporting forms and instructions will be mailed to you by the licensure board prior to your birth month.  Make sure your correct address is on file with the licensure board!  The Iowa Physical Therapy Association provides 48 hours of continuing education through spring and fall conferences each year.  Members receive a 50% tuition discount.  

Q - I am presenting a continuing education program. How do I obtain approval so that the Iowa PTs/PTAs who attend will receive con-ed credit?

A - Prior approval from the licensure board is not needed.  However, you must ensure that your course and the attendance certificate meet specific criteria spelled out in the practice admin rules.  Click here to download the admin rules.

Q - I am a PT and I have questions about the supervision rules for PTAs and aides. Who can answer my questions.

A - The practice rules are issued by the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (the licensure board).  Only the licensure board can interpret the rules. You may contact the board staff at 515/281-4401. In addition, you may need to observe the supervision policies of the patient's health insurance (Medicare, private, etc.). Click here to view an article published in IPTA's newsletter that expands on this aspect plus another article that deals with supervision of aides. Also, please refer to the supervision policies adopted by the APTA House of Delegates.

Q - Can a health care practitioner other than a PT supervise a PT assistant?

A - No.  Iowa PTAs and aides may treat patients only when they are supervised by licensed physical therapists as stipulated in the administrative rules.

Q - Under Medicare, can a physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner certify or recertify a Plan of Care?

A - YES. [Code of Federal Regulations, Title 42, Volume 2, Part 424, Section 424.24(4)]

Q - I have taken the national licensure exam and applied for licensure.  Can I practice while waiting for my license?

A - No. Click here for licensure information from the Iowa Board of Physical & Occupational Therapy.

Q - Can Iowa PTs evaluate and treat patients without physician referral?

A - Yes, Iowa is a "direct-access" state in which PTs may evaluate and treat patients without physician referral.

Q - Can health-care practitioners other than medical and osteopathic physicians refer patients to physical therapists for evaluation and treatment?

A - Because Iowa is a "direct-access" state, the condition of referral is irrelevant except as it pertains to practice setting and insurance reimbursement. For example, hospitals may impose referral conditions, and insurance companies, including Medicare/Medicaid, may have their own referral rules. Medicare does not permit referral by chiropractors (Social Security Act, Title 18, Section 1861).

Q - Can Iowa physical therapists perform spinal manipulation?

A - Yes. Physiotherapy spinal manipulation/mobilization is one of the many “...rehabilitative procedures [utilized by PTs] to prevent, correct, minimize or alleviate an impairment” as described in the Iowa PT practice act (IC Chapter 148A). Manual therapy, including joint and spine manipulation/mobilization, is incorporated into all U.S. graduate physical therapy education programs. It is often referred to as physiotherapy TJM (thrust joint manipulation).

Some Iowa chiropractors claim that theirs is the only profession trained to perform spinal manipulation, but that is not the case. Physical therapists have been performing this type of manual therapy for decades. Physiotherapy TJM is taught in all U.S. postgraduate PT education programs as a condition of accreditation.

They will also argue that chiropractic spinal manipulation performed by PTs is unlawful in Iowa because that prohibition is included in the PT practice act. That claim is irrelevant because PTs can't perform "chiropractic spinal manipulation" when they don't know what that means. Chiropractors are not employed in Iowa PT education programs to teach this subject. "Physiotherapy spinal manipulation/mobilization (TJM)" is taught by PT faculty to PT students.

In early 2009 an attempt by the Iowa Board of Chiropractic to define all spinal manipulation as "chiropractic spinal manipulation" failed when the attorney general's office told the board that such an action would be "legally indefensible." In an "informal guidance" memo that followed, the Chiropractic Board acknowledged that "...spinal manipulation may be within the scope of practice of other licensed health care practitioners." Click here for resources on this subject from the American Physical Therapy Association. Click here for more facts about Iowa physical therapists and PT assistants.

Q - I have heard that a cap has been imposed on outpatient Medicare rehab.  Is that true?

A - Yes. The average cost for therapy needed to recover from a stroke is $2,788, and recovery from a hip fracture costs about $2,000. Please urge your members of Congress to permanently repeal the arbitrary cap.

Q - As a provider, how do I contact the administrator of Medicare Parts A & B in Iowa, Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corp. (WPS).

A - Click here to view a listing of all Part A and Part B WPS contacts.

Q - I am attempting to hire a physical therapist assistant at my nursing home. How can you help?

A - IPTA offers recruiting assistance in several areas: address list rental for mailings, advertising in our publications, advertising and job posting on our Career Center and one-on-one contact with the attendees at our conferences as an exhibitor. Please see our Recruiting page for details.

Q - How can you help me market my products to Iowa physical therapists?

A - IPTA offers marketing assistance in several areas: address list rental for mailings, advertising in our publications and one-on-one contact with the attendees at our conferences as an exhibitor. Please see our Marketing page for details.

Q - I am considering a career in physical therapy as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant. Where can I obtain career information?

A - Click here to view, print or download a fact sheet on physical therapy as a career. You may also obtain additional information at the American Physical Therapy Association's web site, www.apta.org.

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