Medicare Covers Physical Therapy at Home — And You Don’t Have to Be Homebound

The most common question we hear is this: "Do I have to be homebound to get physical therapy at home?" The answer is no. Understanding why comes down to the difference between Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.

Part A and Part B cover two different things

Medicare Part A covers traditional home health care. It requires you to be homebound and under a physician-certified plan of care. That is what most people picture when they hear "home PT," and it is why so many people assume they do not qualify.

Medicare Part B is different. It covers outpatient physical therapy — the same benefit you would use at a clinic. Nothing in Part B requires that care to happen inside a clinic building. A Part B provider can deliver outpatient therapy wherever you are, including your living room.

What that means for you

• No homebound requirement. You can drive, work, and run errands and still receive therapy at home.

• You choose home-based care for convenience, not because you have no other option.

• Standard Part B cost-sharing applies, and supplemental plans often cover the remainder.

• You get a full one-on-one session with a licensed physical therapist — no aides, no shared attention.

Who this works best for

Adults recovering from surgery who would rather not drive while still on pain medication. Older adults working on balance, where practicing on your own stairs matters more than practicing in a clinic hallway. And anyone who loses an hour of driving and waiting for every forty-five minutes of actual therapy.

That last point is worth sitting with. In a clinic, the stairs are standardized, the bathroom is accessible, and the flooring is even. At home, we work on the stairs you actually climb, the tub you actually step into, and the rug you actually trip on.

Getting started in Somerset and Morris County

Home PT LLC serves Somerset and Morris Counties in New Jersey — including Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Somerville, Basking Ridge, Bernardsville, Warren, Branchburg, Morristown, Madison, Chatham, Randolph, Denville, Parsippany and Mendham.

A physician referral is helpful but not required to begin under New Jersey direct access. Call (908) 569-6422 or use the contact form to request a visit.