Can I Use My Insurance for Physical Therapy?

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Published On: September 3rd, 2020Tags: ,

About the Author: Shira Racoosin, PT, DPT

Dr. Shira Racoosin, PT, DPT is a physical therapist with MovementX in Washington, DC.

Can I Use My Insurance for Physical Therapy?

Using insurance for care with a physical therapist can get complicated. We’re here to keep it simple.

MovementX Physical Therapy Portland

MovementX is out of network with all major insurance companies including Medicare. Before booking a session with one of our specialized physical therapists, you will have complete transparency into how much a session costs and whether insurance will reimburse you.

  • We do work with all car accident claims and select workers’ compensation claims at no cost to you! Fill out our Insurance Verification Form and we’ll check to see if your claim qualifies.

  • At this time, we do not work with any Medicare Part B, Secondary, or Supplemental plans for physical therapy care. However, we do work with select Medicare Advantage plans and are happy to offer wellness services on an out-of-pocket basis. If you have Medicare or Medicare Secondary, we are happy to refer you to a trusted in-network clinic!


Are we the cheapest option in town? 
Not always. But there are significant savings in receiving high-quality, personalized care from expert physical therapists invested in your movement goals.

Being out-of-network allows MovementX physical therapists the autonomy to provide highly personalized, expert care when and where you need it most. We’re working to avoid the unintended consequences that traditional clinics bear due to insurance contracts.

  • At-Home, In-Clinic, or Virtual Get care wherever is convenient for you.

  • Specialized Clinicians Rigorously vetted. Highly experienced.

  • 60 Minute 1-on-1 Sessions More treatment means faster progress.

  • Flexible Scheduling We’ll work around your busy schedule.

  • 24/7 Support Get help along every step of your journey.

Can I receive reimbursement through my out-of-network benefits?
Most major insurance plans have out-of-network coverage for which you can receive reimbursement for the cost of care with us. This will vary based on the insurance carrier and your employer.

Want to know exactly what type of out-of-network benefits you have? Fill out the intake form below and a member of our insurance team will send you an email with a detailed benefit summary!

  • If you have a high deductible plan and will be paying cash towards your deductible, our upfront rates and bundle package discounts are often lower than in-network rates.

  • If you have met your out-of-pocket maximum for the year and your insurance pays 100% of your healthcare bill, your rate may be the same for both in-network and out-of-network clinics.

  • If you don’t have health insurance at all and are looking to pay cash, our upfront rates and bundle package discounts are often lower than a traditional clinic.

How do I submit for Out of Network Reimbursement? 

  • Step 1: Verify Your Benefits. Submit your insurance information via this secure form. A member of our insurance team will verify your out-of-network coverage for physical therapy, including your accumulations towards your deductible.

  • Step 2: Pay for Your Session. In most cases, your physical therapist will collect the cost of the session in full after the session is complete. Then you will receive an email link to your itemized receipt detailing the information insurance needs to process your claim.

  • Step 3: Submit for Reimbursement. In most cases, you can submit for reimbursement on your insurance web portal. If you do not have web portal access, you can call your insurance and request a “Member Claim Form.” Fill this out and attach it to your MovementX receipt and mail it to the insurance company.

  • Step 4: Get Paid. Your insurance will write you a check and mail it directly to you for the portion of the session that is reimbursable.

More FAQs About Using Insurance for Physical Therapy

Most insurance plans do not require a referral to see a physical therapist. When we verify your insurance information, we will confirm whether or not your specific plan requires a physician script.

If you are using your workers’ compensation or car accident coverage, you will need a script from your managing physician. Fax physician scripts and medical charts to (888) 645-6068.

Sometimes! Some insurance plans, such as Regence BCBS and CareFirst Maryland, require you to obtain prior authorization before starting care. When you fill out the insurance verification form, we will check to see if your insurance requires prior authorization. If prior authorization is not obtained prior to starting care, the insurance company will deny your reimbursement request.

Please note that while we always do our best to flag prior authorizations, we cannot guarantee that we will determine if you need prior authorization before starting care. Ultimately it is the patient’s responsibility to check if insurance requires this. You can do so by calling the customer service number on the back of your card.

If you believe your insurance requires prior authorization, please contact us at info@movement-x.com. We will happily submit it on your behalf.

Every insurance company pays a different amount for an hour of physical therapy. At MovementX, we have set our hourly rate at $150-$200. Your out-of-network reimbursement will be based on what the insurance determines as their hourly rate and not based on MovementX’s hourly rate. If the reimbursement rates of the insurance company are less than our hourly rate, MovementX will not reimburse the balance. The difference between what we charge and what the insurance company reimburses is called a “balance bill.”

Every day our profession fights to prove our value to insurance companies so they can increase our reimbursement rate and save you money. Help us advocate for our value by writing to your insurance company about the value you have found out of PT.

Yes! We have PTs specializing in whiplash, acute injuries after car accidents, post-operative care, slips, trips, falls, and personal injury cases. The convenience of our mobile model makes MovementX a perfect option for you. If you are interested in using your PIP for care, please contact us at info@movement-x.com or call (971) 361-9442 to begin your case.

Yes! We gladly accept Health Savings Accounts and Flex Spending Accounts for physical therapy care. When setting up your profile, input your HSA or FSA debit card as your payment method or submit your invoices directly to your employer or HSA/FSA provider for reimbursement. FSAs often expire at the end of the year, so don’t let them go to waste!

Why do you need my payment information prior to my first session?

Providing your payment information prior to care ensures that you are 100% ready to be evaluated and treated by your expert provider, leaving your provider to focus solely on what matters most- you and your care. Not only does this streamline our operations, but it also makes receiving care more convenient for you.

When will my card be charged?
We only process a charge after you receive services and have agreed upon a set price with your provider. After a charge occurs, you will always receive an email from MovementX with a link to your receipt.

Where do you house payment information?
Our priority is keeping your credit card secure. That is why we utilize a widely used third-party payment processor to anonymously store your credit card information. We never store credit card information on our website or platform. And no one, except for you, has access to its data.

Can I speak to someone before entering my card information?
Absolutely! We are happy to discuss processes further or set up a free consultation with one of our expert providers. Please call us at 971-361-9442 or email us at info@movement-x.com so we can provide further assistance.

Every insurance company has a slightly different process for submitting for reimbursement. If you have access to an online portal through your insurance company, this is likely the easiest way to submit your claim. If you do not have online portal access, call the member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask for a “Member Claim Form” and a claims mailing address. Attach your receipts from MovementX to your Member Claim Form and put them in the mail!

As soon as your physical therapist processes your session and charges your card on file, you will receive a link to your session receipt via email. You can also access your receipts by logging into your patient dashboard and clicking “sessions” in the upper right-hand drop-down menu.

If you receive any notification about an issue with a claim, please forward it to our insurance office at info@movement-x.com. We will work with you and your insurance company to fix any errors and help you resubmit the claim. Please note that we do not guarantee payment, but we will do our best to fight for your reimbursement!

After we verify your insurance, our insurance office will email your out-of-network physical therapy coverage, which can be full of words that even the highest scholar doesn’t understand. So what do all these insurance words mean?

  • Deductible: The amount you pay for health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay.
  • Co-pay: The fixed upfront costs associated with an office visit.
  • Co-Insurance: The percentage of costs of a health care service that your insurance will pay after you’ve met your deductible.
  • Out-of-Pocket Maximum: The maximum amount you pay out of pocket until insurance starts to cover 100%.

We wish we could! MovementX is considered “non-enrolled” in Medicare, which means we have no relationship or contract with Medicare. While third-party Medicare Advantage plans do have out-of-network coverage, traditional Medicare Part B, Medicare Secondary, and Medicare Supplemental plans do not. This means that we do not bill, and our clients cannot submit for reimbursement to Medicare Part B.

Unfortunately, due to Medicare regulations, PTs cannot accept cash for restorative physical therapy sessions focused on pain relief, recovery of function, and post-surgical rehabilitation.

We are, however, allowed to see you for the following reasons:

  • Wellness and Optimize Sessions aim to help you move better, perform at a higher capacity, and become more resilient to injury. (Medicare does not care if you pay out of pocket for this because they consider these services not medically necessary!)

  • Physical therapy services after Medicare has denied further visits at an insurance-based PT clinic.

  • Our AgeProofYourBody exercise class series.

Physical therapist stretching patient with hypermobility syndrome in Portland, OR

Conclusion

  • Physical therapists who operate out-of-network can provide you with more personalized and professional care.
  • Depending on your insurance plan, you can use your out-of-network benefits to cover part or all of the costs of care at MovementX.
  • MovementX does not work with Medicare Beneficiaries or Secondary plans! 

For questions regarding insurance, please contact insurance@movement-x.com.

Physical therapist talking to her patient with low back pain in her home
physical therapist evaluating a woman with poor posture and shoulder pain
Physical therapist treating woman with neck pain with hands on therapy

About the Author

Shira Racoosin Physical Therapist MovementX

Dr. Shira Racoosin is a physical therapist with MovementX in Washington, DC. She is residency-trained in orthopedic physical therapy, certified in dry needling, and has a special passion for helping older adults live more active lives. Shira Racoosin is a published author on manual therapy interventions for patellofemoral pain and deeply cares about empowering you to move your body better.

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