Does Medicare Cover Physical Therapy?

Coverage · Therapy & Specialists

This covers Medicare and physical therapy — physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

Does Medicare cover physical therapy?

Yes — Medicare covers medically necessary physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Outpatient therapy is covered when it is medically necessary and your provider certifies a plan of care. The old annual dollar "therapy cap" was eliminated — there is no longer a hard cap on covered therapy.

Which part of Medicare covers it?

Part B covers outpatient therapy. Part A covers therapy delivered as part of a covered inpatient or skilled nursing facility stay.

What you pay

You generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible.

Exact dollar amounts change every year — see Medicare costs for 2026 for the current deductibles and coinsurance, or a Medigap plan can cover most of this cost-sharing for you.

The limits people get wrong

Although the dollar cap is gone, above a yearly threshold your therapist must confirm the care is still medically necessary (a targeted-review threshold), which can prompt Medicare to review the claim. Therapy must be skilled care, not general exercise.

Related services

• Does Medicare cover skilled nursing facility care?
• Does Medicare cover durable medical equipment?

Related Medicare guides

• All service coverage · drug coverage · dental, vision & hearing.
• Medicare costs · Glossary · Medicare Help Center.

Get a Real Answer for Your Situation — Free

Whether physical therapy is covered — and what you’ll owe — depends on the details of your care and your plan. Call us free at 435-219-5120 (TTY: 711) and we’ll tell you what Medicare covers in your case, and whether a different plan would cover it better. No cost, no pressure.