Therapy Words, Explained Plainly

Ever sit in a waiting room wondering what half the paperwork means? You are not the only one. This glossary covers the words you will hear at First Rehabilitation of North Palm Beach, from plan of care to prior authorization. If a term still does not make sense for your situation, ask your therapist or call the front desk at 561-624-4263.

A

Activities of daily living (ADLs)

The everyday self-care tasks most people do without thinking: dressing, bathing, grooming, eating and getting on and off the toilet. Occupational therapy often measures progress in ADLs.Example: Buttoning a shirt with one hand after shoulder surgery.

B

Balance training

Exercises that challenge your steadiness so you are less likely to fall.Example: Standing on one foot while reaching, or walking heel to toe along a line.

C

Certified Hand Therapist (CHT)

An occupational or physical therapist who has completed years of hands-on hand and upper extremity practice and passed a national certification exam. Hand surgeons often refer post-operative patients to a CHT.Example: The therapist who guides your recovery after a wrist fracture or tendon repair.

Coinsurance

Your share of a covered service, shown as a percentage, after you have met your deductible. Under Original Medicare Part B it is 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.Example: If the approved amount for a visit is $100, 20% coinsurance means you owe $20.

Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF)

A Medicare-certified outpatient facility that provides coordinated rehabilitation at one location, with physician oversight of the plan of treatment. First Rehabilitation of North Palm Beach is a CORF.

Copay

A flat amount you pay at each visit, set by your insurance plan.Example: A plan with a set copay for each specialist or therapy visit.

D

Deductible

The amount you pay for covered care each year before your plan starts paying its share. The 2026 Medicare Part B deductible is $283.Example: Until you have paid $283 toward Part B services in 2026, Medicare does not begin paying its 80%.

Direct access

Starting physical therapy without a physician referral. In Florida this is allowed in most cases, but some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage, so we check before your first visit.

Discharge

The end of formal therapy, usually when you have met your goals or your progress has leveled off.Example: Finishing therapy with a written home program to keep your gains.

E

Explanation of benefits (EOB)

A statement from your insurance company showing what was billed, what it paid and what you may owe. It is not a bill.

F

Fall-risk screening

Short tests of strength, balance and walking that show how likely someone is to fall.Example: Standing up from a chair and walking a short distance while a therapist times you.

G

Gait training

Practice walking safely and smoothly after an injury, surgery or illness.Example: Relearning a steady step pattern after a hip replacement.

H

Home exercise program

A short set of exercises your therapist teaches you to do on your own between visits.Example: Three exercises, ten minutes a day, with pictures to follow.

I

In-network and out-of-network

In-network providers have a contract with your insurance plan and usually cost you less. Out-of-network providers do not.

Initial evaluation

Your first visit. The therapist reviews your history, tests movement, strength and daily function, and sets goals with you. At our clinic it takes about an hour, and treatment usually starts the same day.

K

KX modifier

A billing code a clinic adds once a patient's yearly Medicare therapy charges pass a set amount, confirming that continued therapy is medically necessary and documented. For 2026 the amount is $2,480 for physical therapy and speech therapy combined, and a separate $2,480 for occupational therapy. It is not a cap on your care.

L

Letter of protection (LOP)

A written agreement, used in some injury cases, under which a provider treats you and is paid from a settlement or judgment later. It is not insurance, and it is arranged through your attorney.

M

Manual therapy

Hands-on techniques that move joints and soft tissue to reduce stiffness and pain.Example: A therapist gently mobilizing a stiff shoulder.

Medicare Advantage

A private plan, sometimes called Part C, that provides Medicare benefits under its own rules for networks, copays and approvals.Example: A Humana or Aetna Medicare plan that asks for prior authorization before therapy starts.

Medicare Part B

The part of Original Medicare that covers outpatient care, including medically necessary physical and occupational therapy. After the yearly deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and there is no yearly limit on medically necessary therapy.

Medicare Supplement (Medigap)

Private insurance sold alongside Original Medicare that can pay some or all of the costs Medicare leaves to you, such as the 20% coinsurance. What it pays depends on the plan.

Modalities

Supporting treatments such as heat, cold or electrical stimulation, usually paired with exercise.Example: A warm pack before stretching a stiff back.

N

Neuromuscular re-education

Exercises that retrain coordination, balance and movement patterns after an injury or a neurological event such as a stroke.

O

Occupational therapy (OT)

Therapy focused on doing the things your day requires: dressing, cooking, working, and using your hands and arms well.Example: Relearning to cook safely after a stroke.

Orthosis (splint)

A custom or ready-made support that protects or positions a hand, wrist or finger while it heals. Our hand therapy program fabricates custom orthoses in the clinic.Example: A thumb splint molded to your hand after a tendon injury.

Out-of-pocket maximum

The most you pay in a year for covered care before your plan pays the rest in full. Original Medicare has no out-of-pocket maximum; Medicare Advantage plans do.

Outpatient therapy

Therapy where you come in for a visit and go home the same day.

P

Personal injury protection (PIP)

Florida no-fault auto coverage that helps pay medical bills after a crash, regardless of who caused it, up to your policy limit.

Physical therapy (PT)

Treatment that restores movement, strength, balance and function, and helps reduce pain.Example: Exercise and hands-on care after knee surgery.

Plan of care

A written plan listing your goals, treatments, how often you will come and how long therapy is expected to last. For Medicare, your physician or another qualified provider must certify it.Example: Two visits a week for six weeks, with the goal of climbing stairs without a rail.

Post-surgical rehabilitation

Therapy after an operation to restore motion and strength safely, following your surgeon's protocol and timeline.

Prior authorization

Approval some insurance plans require before they will cover therapy. Medicare Advantage plans often require it; Original Medicare generally does not.

Progress report

A written update to your physician, and sometimes your insurer, showing how you are doing against your goals.

R

Range of motion

How far a joint can move.Example: How high you can lift your arm overhead.

Re-evaluation

A formal check partway through therapy that compares your progress with your goals and adjusts the plan.

Return-to-work program

Occupational therapy built around what a specific job demands, using graded conditioning and task practice before a work release.

T

Therapeutic activities

Real-life tasks used as treatment.Example: Lifting a laundry basket, getting out of a low chair or reaching into a high cabinet.

Therapeutic exercise

Targeted movements that build strength, flexibility and endurance.Example: Leg presses, resistance band work or a stretching routine.

W

Workers' compensation

Insurance that covers medical care for injuries that happen at work. We coordinate documentation with your adjuster.

Medicare figures on this page are for 2026, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. For what they mean in practice, read our plain-English Medicare guide. For everything else, see the FAQ or what to expect at your first visit.

This glossary is general information, not medical or insurance advice. Coverage depends on your plan; our front desk verifies your benefits before your first visit.