KENNESAW, GA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2026 / A significant portion of a physical, occupational, or speech therapist's role involves caregiver education and patient training. This instruction is essential to ensure patients perform activities of daily living safely and correctly, yet it has historically been difficult to prioritize amid already demanding caseloads; particularly when the time spent was not considered billable.
Recent updates to the CMS Final Rule have changed that. Under specific circumstances, this critical caregiver training may now be billed, even in the absence of the patient.
"A great deal of a therapist's time is spent collaborating with families and other members," said Melinda Butler Henderson, Chief Development Officer at BenCura. "Those important, often lengthy conversations, teaching moments, and training sessions were never reimbursable. This change is a major win for therapists."
Although these updates were introduced in the 2024 Final Rule, Henderson notes that many therapists remain hesitant to use the new codes due to uncertainty around proper application.
"Before these codes existed, therapists still trained caregivers, but the time was only billable if the patient was present and actively engaged," Henderson explained. "There are situations where that simply isn't appropriate or possible. End-of-life care discussions are one example. In other cases, patients may have cognitive impairments that prevent meaningful participation."
As Henderson describes, three new CPT codes were added to the CPT Manual in 2024: 97550, 97551, and 97552.
"These codes allow therapists to bill for training to non-paid caregivers focused on a patient's functional performance in the home or community," she said. "This includes ADLs, transfers, mobility, communication, swallowing, feeding, problem-solving: any area addressed within the plan of care."
While all three codes apply to caregiver training, each serves a distinct purpose:
97550 - Face-to-face caregiver training provided by one therapist to one caregiver, billable for up to 30 minutes
97551 - Each additional 15 minutes beyond the initial 30 minutes provided under 97550
97552 - Group caregiver training for caregivers supporting patients with similar conditions (e.g., multiple caregivers of post-hip replacement patients)
Importantly, CMS has structured these codes so that they do not count toward a patient's therapy visit limit when the patient is under a bundled or capped reimbursement model.
Due to ongoing confusion around proper use of these codes, BenCura is launching a Midday Masterclass through BenCura University's School of Clinical Excellence to ensure therapists understand how to apply them confidently and compliantly. BenCura University courses are offered at no additional cost to partnered facilities. Watch for CPT Cheat Codes Revealed later in 2026. To learn more about partnership opportunities, schedule a complimentary discovery call.
"We want our clinicians to feel empowered," Henderson emphasized. "Advocacy made these codes possible. Our goal is to ensure therapists feel confident using them to enhance care without fear of denials so patients and caregivers receive the services they need, and therapists will have one less barrier to achieving efficiency benchmarks in the process."
About BenCura Rehabilitation Services
BenCura is a premier contract rehabilitation partner delivering high-quality physical, occupational, and speech therapy at a lower total cost of care than traditional in-house models. We serve acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities, integrating clinical excellence with operational rigor and data-driven transparency. Learn more at bencura.com.
CONTACT:
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info@bencura.com
SOURCE: BenCura
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