Hippotherapy reimbursement

[Anonymous]

Has anyone gotten hippotherapy reimbursement from Carefirst?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Sort of. Ours was denied first but only because they failed to see the diagnostic code on the invoice. When I called Carefirst they agreed it was covered, but it counted against our deductible, so we didn't actually get reimbursed. I think the key is that the therapy invoice has to refer to PT, NOT hippotherapy (which is accurate, as it is a form of PT). I've been told insurance companies consider hippotherapy to be experimental or unproven or something along those lines. The organization we do hippotherapy through already knew this when I raised that issue with them at our first session.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! Where did you do hippotherapy?

[Anonymous]

We go to Simple Changes out in Lorton - the therapists themselves are from Progressive Pediatric Physical Therapy. We weren't able to get in to any of the programs closer to us. My daughter (almost 4) has low muscle tone and delays. Have you already started hippotherapy or is this forward-looking? Would be curious to compare notes ....

[Anonymous]

forward thinking

we do therapeutic riding

did you try any MD horse centers?

[Anonymous]

Ah, my daughter was too young for therapeutic riding, she could only do hippotherapy. We tried to get in to a stable in Great Falls, I forget what it was called, and I don't remember where the other ones were ...

[Anonymous]

OK, sorry to intrude, but what is hippotherapy? Hippos are some of the most dangerous animals on earth, so I'm really puzzled by this and how it works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. Ours was denied first but only because they failed to see the diagnostic code on the invoice. When I called Carefirst they agreed it was covered, but it counted against our deductible, so we didn't actually get reimbursed. I think the key is that the therapy invoice has to refer to PT, NOT hippotherapy (which is accurate, as it is a form of PT). I've been told insurance companies consider hippotherapy to be experimental or unproven or something along those lines. The organization we do hippotherapy through already knew this when I raised that issue with them at our first session.

Can anyone point to well published RCTs showing the benefits from hippotherapy? What specific population/ condition are we talking about?

[Anonymous]

Hippo is Greek for horse. Horseback riding therapy. Or PT/OT while on a horse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hippo is Greek for horse. Horseback riding therapy. Or PT/OT while on a horse.

Or, etymologically at least, therapy by a horse.