Exercise Therapists
PRO 05/2021

Effective date: May 1, 2021

Application: All injured workers requiring exercise therapy services.

Policy subject: Health care services – providers

Purpose:

To provide administrative guidelines for approving and evaluating exercise therapy services.

BACKGROUND

  1. Upon Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) approval, a worker entitled to benefits under The Worker’s Compensation Act, 2013 (the “Act”) is also entitled to (Section 103):
    1. Any medical aid that may be necessary as a result of the injury.
    2. Any other treatment by a health care professional.
    3. Any prosthetic or apparatus that may be necessary as a result of the injury, and
    4. Any transportation or sustenance occasioned by the medical aid.
  2. The WCB is authorized to determine health care services fees (Section 104).

PROCEDURE

  1. Exercise therapists who hold a clinical exercise physiologist (CEP) designation and are providing services to WCB clients can access the following at www.wcbsask.com:
    1. The accreditation standards and service provider guidelines for exercise therapists providing primary level services to WCB clients (“practice standards”).
    2. Accreditation requirements, and
    3. Fees.

      The Kinesiology Association of Saskatchewan (KAS) and the WCB will negotiate changes to these documents as needed.
       
  2. Exercise therapy is considered a component of physical therapy and/or chiropractic services offered by a clinic that has obtained WCB authorization to treat and invoice. Therefore, exercise therapists will not be required to submit authorization to treat forms to the WCB.
    1. Regional exercise and core conditioning are part of rehabilitation efforts and may be funded immediately after the work injury.
    2. Aerobic exercise is appropriate where a worker is off work or on modified work duties for at least five weeks.
    3. Functional testing may only be funded once after four weeks away from regular duties and only if necessary for return to work (RTW) plan.
  3. Payment will only be authorized for services performed by an accredited CEP who appears on the WCB approved provider list.
  4. The WCB may refuse payment if conditioning is provided prior to the specified timelines acknowledged in the practice standards (i.e., aerobic conditioning, regional conditioning, functional conditioning, and functional testing).
  5. WCB will cease funding for treatment when no functional gains are being made or when there are indications that the client has recovered from the work injury.
  6. If a claim is subsequently denied following approval, WCB will be responsible for payment up to the date of disallowance notification.
  7. Compliance with the practices standards may be evaluated through a survey process performed jointly by the WCB and KAS.

Policy references

Legislative Authority

The Workers’ Compensation Act, 2013
Sections 55, 103, 104, 111, 115(c)

Document History

(1)    February 1, 2022. Housekeeping change to reflect name change from the Saskatchewan Kinesiology and Exercise Science Association (SKESA) to Kinesiology Association of Saskatchewan (KAS) that was effective May 1, 2021.
(2)    PRO 53/2015, Exercise Therapists (effective August 1, 2015 to April 30, 2021).
(3)    PRO 56/2012, Medical Fees – Exercise Therapists (effective January 1, 2013 to July 31, 2015).
(4)    PRO 53/2010, Medical Fees – Exercise Therapists (effective October 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012).
(5)    PRO 53/2000, Medical Fees – Exercise Therapists (effective April 1, 2000 to September 30, 2010).

Complements

POL 18/2016 Health Care Services
POL 02/1997 Health Care Services – Fees
 

Two people signing documents
Two people signing documents

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