Summit Physical Therapy - Tri-Cities Washington

PHYSICAL THERAPY FAQ

Are you contracted with my insurance company?

Summit Physical Therapy and our therapists are contracted with most insurance companies. Below is a list of insurance companies and provider networks that we are contracted with, if you do not see your insurance company listed, call us at (509) 783-3444, to check if we are contracted with your specific insurance:

Aetna
Asuris Northwest
Cigna
Premera Blue Cross
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Regence
First Health Network
First Choice Network
United Healthcare
Medicare
Sterling
AARP
DSHS
Community Health Plan
Molina
Private Healthcare Systems network
Tri-West
Tricare
Uniform Medical
Group Health Options
Labor and Industries
Auto insurances

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes, we accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, as well as cash and personal checks.

Do you work closely with my referring physician?

Yes, we send copies of your Initial Evaluation report and all of your Status Reports to your referring physician. We write status reports approximately every 30 days. If you have a doctor’s appointment with your referring physician in between status reports, then we will often write a most current status report so your referring physical will be able to check on your most current progress. If any questions or comments arise regarding your treatment, then we may call your referring or vice versa to communicate how your therapy is going.

How much will each appointment cost me?

The cost of your treatment depends on your insurance coverage. You can call the number listed on your insurance card and ask what your benefits and eligibility are. If you do not have any insurance coverage then we offer a 30% cash discount for those who have to pay cash for their treatment and we will accept monthly payments. If you have a co-insurance (a percentage of the covered amount that is your responsibility) then you will not have to pay until you receive a statement from us. We do not bill those patients until we receive payment from your insurance company and know exactly what amount to transfer to you. If you have a co-payment (flat fee per visit, ie.$20 per visit) then you can pay at each visit or we will allow you to make a total payment for the weeks’ worth of visits.

What are modalities?

Modalities are used in conjunction with manual therapy and therapeutic exercises to promote healing in the injury site.

Ultrasound - uses ultrasonic waves to decrease pain, increase tissue elasticity, degrades scar tissue, increases cellular activity, and increases circulation to the site.

Electrical Stimulation - uses mild electrical currents to decrease pain, increase circulation, and decrease edema.

Moist Heat Packs - decreases pain, promotes muscular relaxation, and pre-exercise warm up.

Cold Packs - decreases pain and decreases inflammation

Traction - applied to cervical or lumbar spine to decompress spinal segments or discs.

Iontophoresis - uses electrical currents to deliver medication to focal regions.

Phonophoresis - uses ultrasound to deliver topically applied drugs like analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications.

What are the procedures used in physical therapy?

Joint Mobilization- a variety of techniques involving the application of pressure to facilitate an increase in motion and/or proper alignment of a joint (spinal or extremity).

Therapeutic Exercise- specialized exercises that address specific strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, proprioceptive and coordination deficits.

Massage- use of different techniques to degrade scar tissue, promote relaxation of involved tissues, decrease pain, and increase tissue elasticity.

Myofascial Release- the selective use of pressure and passive tissue tension to facilitate tissue relaxation, flexibility, and relieve pain.

What are your hours? Are you open on the weekends?

We are open from 8:00am to 6:00pm Mon, Tues, Weds., and Friday. Thursdays we are open from 9:00am to 6:00pm. These hours may vary depending on holidays and vacations but we will notify all patients of any schedule changes.

We are not open on the weekends.

What exactly is physical therapy?

Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing movement potential. Physical therapists first perform and evaluation where they use subjective and objective information through interview and physical assessment techniques. Then the PT will make an assessment as to the cause of the symptoms, and form a treatment plan utilizing their knowledge of biomechanics, tissue healing, exercise physiology, and a detailed anatomical understanding of the neuro-musculo-skeletal system.
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What should I wear to my appointments?

Loose, comfortable clothing is best for accessing injured areas and allow better movement to carry out the procedures and exercises. We have shorts and short-sleeved shirts at the clinic that you can borrow if needed. You can also bring your clothes and change at the clinic if you need to.

What will I be doing at my appointments? How often do I need to attend physical therapy?

Depending on what your diagnosis is, you will arrive and work through your treatment plan, which probably has a combination of procedures and modalities that need to be done. The order in which these are done are customized to you and your injury. The average appointment lasts approximately 1 hour. Some injuries may only need a modality performed on it so those patients may only take 20 mins. to complete their therapy. Other patients may have complications, such as post-stroke, making it take longer for the patients to work through their treatment plan, so they may be here longer than 1 hour.

How often you need to attend therapy is also diagnosis-specific and depends on the overall health of the patient. The average frequency of appointments is 2 to 3 times per week and duration could be anywhere from 1 visit to 1 month or more depending on diagnosis, patients’ progress, and the referring physicians recommendations. Post-surgical therapy generally has a longer recovery time that could take anywhere from 1 month to 3 months depending on varying factors.

Will you bill my insurance company or do I have to submit the claims?

Yes, we will bill up to four insurance companies for you. Make sure that you know the correct order of your insurances and that each of the insurances is aware of your other insurance coverage to ensure a smooth billing process.

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