Physical therapy (PT) is used in the management of many medical conditions. But variation in rates paid by commercial insurers can contribute to high out-of-pocket costs, leading some patients to underuse or stop PT altogether. For many people, that means potentially poor rehabilitation outcomes. 

In a new study, Yale researchers evaluated commercial payer-negotiated rates for outpatient PT services at a cross-section of hospitals across the United States. They found that costs for PT vary substantially based on location and insurance status. 

“PT is used in the management of many acute and chronic medical conditions, but greater cost exposure may reduce use of PT services, contributing to suboptimal patient outcomes and increased use of other health care services,” said Joshua Skydel, clinical fellow at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and corresponding author of the study.

“Additional research is required to evaluate the impact of prices on direct costs, utilization, and outcomes for patients referred to PT.”

The study, co-authored by Joseph Ross, professor of medicine (general medicine) at YSM, appears as a research letter in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered a potential new strategy to fight back against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, conditions that are linked to the toxic accumulation of Tau and alpha synuclein protein clumps in the brain. The team reports that tubulin, the building block of microtubules, the cell’s internal ‘railway tracks,’ can stop Tau and alpha synuclein from forming toxic clumps and instead steer them into their normal, healthy roles. The findings support redefining tubulin, from a passive casualty of disease to an active protector against toxic protein aggregation.