Often, yes. Indiana law lists physical therapists among the practitioners who may provide care by telehealth to patients located in Indiana, and Medicare’s telehealth flexibilities for physical therapists have been extended through December 31, 2027. Video visits work well for follow-ups, exercise progressions and education, less well for a first examination or hands-on treatment. Whether a therapist in this network offers video visits depends on who is practising at the time, and the matching team tells you before anything is booked.
Last reviewed By the Monon Therapy Collective editorial team
Is telehealth physical therapy legal in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana’s telehealth statute, IC 25-1-9.5, includes physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in its list of practitioners who may provide services by telehealth. The law defines the originating site as wherever the patient is located at the time of the visit, and a practitioner outside Indiana who provides telehealth to someone in Indiana agrees to be subject to Indiana’s courts and laws for that care.
Your own location matters if you travel. A video visit while you are at a lake house in Michigan may fall under Michigan’s rules instead, so tell your therapist where you will be before booking a session from out of state.
Expect a therapist to confirm where you are at the start of each video visit, because the state you are physically in determines which licensing rules apply. It is a routine check, not a sign of a problem.
Does Medicare pay for physical therapy by video in 2026?
For now, yes. The federal spending package that Congress passed on February 3, 2026 extended Medicare’s telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027. Those flexibilities include physical therapists among the practitioners who may deliver care by telehealth and the patient’s home as a place care can be delivered, with no geographic restriction.
Those rules are temporary and have been renewed several times, so check again if you are reading this after 2027. Private plans and Medicare Advantage plans set their own telehealth rules; some cover video physical therapy at the usual cost sharing and some do not cover it at all. The cost and insurance page explains how benefits get checked.
If you are on Medicare, ask whether the practice bills video visits to Medicare and whether your usual 20 percent coinsurance applies. The therapist must still meet Medicare’s normal requirements, including a plan of care certified by your physician or another qualified practitioner.
Which parts of rehab work by video and which do not?
Video works well for anything you can see and talk through: progressing a home program, checking your squat or lunge form, adjusting a desk setup, and planning a return to running. It works poorly for anything that needs hands or equipment, such as manual therapy, strength testing with a dynamometer, or most of the special tests used to examine a joint.
A useful rule of thumb: if your therapist needs to feel how a joint moves or resist your effort with their hands, that visit belongs in person. If the visit is mostly watching, coaching and adjusting, video can save you a trip without losing much.
| Part of care | By video | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First evaluation of a new injury | Limited | Hands-on tests, palpation and strength testing need you in the room |
| Home exercise check and progression | Good | The therapist can watch form from two camera angles |
| Workstation and posture review | Good | Your real desk is on screen, not a mock-up |
| Post-surgery follow-up between in-person visits | Often good | Swelling, gait and range of motion can be observed |
| Manual therapy and joint mobilization | Not possible | Requires hands-on treatment |
| Heavy strength training | Limited | Depends on what equipment you have at home |
How do you set up a room for a video physical therapy visit?
You need a clear patch of floor about the size of a yoga mat, a phone or laptop you can prop at hip height, and clothes that let the therapist see the joint being treated. Place the camera far enough away that your whole body fits in the frame when you stand.
Have a sturdy chair, a step, a towel and any bands or weights you own nearby. A second person to move the camera helps but is not essential. Test the link a few minutes early; a lost connection eats into a short session fast. The what to wear guide applies to video visits too.
Privacy matters as well. Pick a room where you can talk freely about your symptoms, and ask the practice which video platform it uses and how it protects your information. A therapist should not ask you to use a public social media app for a clinical visit.
Can I mix video and in-person visits with one therapist?
Many therapists who offer telehealth use it this way: the first evaluation and the visits that need hands-on work happen in person, and some of the follow-ups happen by video. That can suit Carmel commuters who would otherwise drive in for a ten-minute form check.
The therapists in this network see patients one-on-one in private suites at Carmel City Center, open from 5 AM on weekdays. Whether any of them offers video visits depends on the independent therapists practising there at the time. Mention it on the two-minute questionnaire, and the matching team will tell you honestly before booking; if no therapist in the network offers it, they will say so.
Related questions
Can a physical therapist examine me for the first time over video?
Some do, especially when travel is hard, but the examination is limited without hands-on tests. Many therapists prefer the first visit in person.
What if I am outside Indiana during a scheduled video visit?
Tell your therapist first. Licensure follows the state you are in, so a visit from another state may not be allowed.
Is a recorded exercise video the same as telehealth physical therapy?
No. Telehealth physical therapy is a live visit with a licensed therapist who watches you and adjusts the plan. A recorded video or app is self-guided.
Does telehealth physical therapy cost less?
Not necessarily. Many plans apply the same cost sharing to video visits as to office visits, and self-pay rates are set by each practice.
Do I need special equipment for a video physical therapy visit?
No. A phone or laptop with a camera, a steady internet connection and a little floor space are enough for most visits.
Keep reading
- Can I do physical therapy on my own with online exercises?
- What is one-on-one physical therapy?
- How long is a physical therapy session?
- Start the two-minute matching questionnaire
- Post-surgical rehabilitation in Carmel
- Desk ergonomics guide for hybrid workers
Sources
This page is general education, not medical advice. A physical therapist can only advise on your situation after an examination.
