FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Cash-based physical therapy means that we are out of network with all insurance companies and do not directly bill through insurance (though you may be eligible for reimbursement directly from your insurance company using your out-of-network benefits).

Our clients pay us directly for their 1-on-1, personalized physical therapy care. This allows us to focus all of our attention on the client and perform treatments to focus on client goals without being influenced by insurance rules and regulations.

Read our blog post on the benefits of our cash-based PT model

We like to say, “we treat humans, not pain.” We approach each client as an individual to get them feeling better and address the root cause of their issue. Yes, pain relief may be the reason you seek out our care, but we can’t just stop there. For long-term solutions, you need a personalized plan of care.

Tried everything? That's our specialty!

• Sciatica, Herniated discs, Pinched nerves, Back pain, Hip pain.

• Neck pain, Shoulder pain, Arm pain, Elbow pain, wrist pain.

• Knee pain, Calf pain, Ankle pain, Thigh pain, Shin pain.

• Jaw pain, Headaches.

• Sprains and Strains.

• Pre-surgery and Post-surgery.

• Rotator cuff, meniscus, Arthritis, Labrum.

• Pain with weightlifting.

AND NOT JUST PAIN! Any movement issue you may have, we can help you improve it. We’ve worked with people after skin grafts due to cancer, hysterectomies and other abdominal surgeries, pregnancy, and more! 

In our minds, there is always something that can be done to reduce pain, improve movement, gain strength, and enhance function. 

If you're wondering if we are the right fit for you, hop on a free 15 minute consultation call and we'll happily discuss how we may be able to help you.

You can certainly use your out-of-network insurance benefits. You can also use your health savings account (HSA) or flex spending account (FSA).

While we do collect our fees directly from our clients, we provide an itemized superbill to submit to the insurance company. By submitting your superbill, you may be able to recover a percentage of the cost you pay upfront (typically 60-80%) from your insurance company, depending on your "out-of-network" coverage. We recommend calling your insurance provider to find out what your out-of-network physical therapy benefits are.

That being said, we always like to ask this question: “If your insurance didn’t cover a dollar of your care with us, and we were able to help you achieve and surpass your rehab, health, and fitness goals, would this investment be worth it to you?”

While cash is certainly an acceptable form of payment, patients are also able to pay with major credit and debit cards as well as FSA and HSA accounts.

Yes, we typically break up payments into 3 monthly installments over the course of your initial plan of care.

Insurance companies in the United States are continually cutting reimbursement rates for rehabilitation services and dictating how clinicians treat clients.

With this decline in reimbursement, many clinics are forced to treat multiple patients in the hour (this means that therapists are seeing 4+ patients at the same time) and lower patient care standards in order to make ends meet.

These clinics rotate patients in and use assistants and techs to complete treatments. Patients do not receive the individualized care they need, and are encouraged to go through exercises with little-to-no supervision.

With a cash-based practice, we are able to treat our clients in a way that is actually best for THEM as we are not regulated by the insurance companies.

This allows us to provide the highest quality care for our clients, while keeping them 1-on-1 with their doctor of physical therapy for the entire visit, every visit.

This increase in quality results in our clients getting better faster than traditional insurance based physical therapy.

Want to hear more? Check out Dr. Luke’s Blog Post on this!

Usually the goal of the initial evaluation is to figure out “what tissue is the issue” and get you feeling good as quickly as possible (Step 1).

We start by getting to understand you as a person: what brings you in, your ideal outcome and goals, any limitations you currently have, your medical history, the activities/hobbies you enjoy and want to get back to, and more – to create a holistic picture.

Then we perform a thorough physical assessment: testing your range of motion and strength to identify any imbalances and deficits.

• We perform a precise Test - Treat - Retest model. This allows us to see how your body responds in real time to each treatment intervention we perform. We then know exactly what to prescribe for your initial plan of care. No guesswork. No gimmicks.

• Initial treatments may be specific hands-on (manual therapy) techniques, corrective exercises, or other techniques to alleviate your symptoms and help you move better right away.

• This is much different than the shotgun approach that most traditional therapists do: a bunch of tests, give you a diagnosis, and hand you a list of exercises for your diagnosis. Minimal individuality, no specificity. We think this is unacceptable.

Once we figure out this initial prescription, we discuss and formulate a plan together to reach your goals, meet your needs, and fit your lifestyle.

This evaluation will be unlike any healthcare/medical or fitness experience you’ve ever had.

No! If you have been seeing a doctor and have images, we are happy to take a look at them. You can have the reports faxed to 208-252-6526. But it is not necessary to get imaging done before coming in. We will do a thorough assessment and can help you determine whether to see another doctor or to get imaging done. We can even diagnose without imaging!

Imaging is just one piece of your clinical picture. We need to evaluate all the other pieces:

• ​Movement control/coordination

• Muscle activation

• Mobility & Flexibility

• Strength

• Tension/pain

• And more

​If we find something that looks like imaging would be needed to evaluate it further, and you’re unsafe to work with us, we will definitely let you know. But more often than not, our clients find that they need to develop the areas in the list above in order to fix their problem, even if their Xrays/MRIs show “bad stuff.”

No! It is not necessary to see an orthopedic surgeon or other doctor before scheduling a visit with our doctors of physical therapy. We are experts at diagnosing not only the tissue involved (ex. Rotator cuff tendinitis), but also the underlying movement issues that are causing it.

Idaho is a direct access state, so you can come directly to us at any time. If you are feeling limitations in mobility and strength or any pain (short of a 911 emergency, of course) come in and see us! We offer free 15-minute phone consultations and can help you determine the best steps to take, whether it is to come in for an evaluation, or see another kind of doctor and/or get imaging done. We can also give you information about the doctors we know in the area.

Yes! We don’t rely solely on manual therapy, but it can be a beneficial part of the treatment process. We use soft tissue massage, joint manipulations/mobilizations, friction massage, athletic and kinesio taping, scraping, and percussion massage.

These treatments are often performed early in the plan of care to address pain, tension, and restore range of motion. As our clients progress, our sessions become much more active in order to restore the function of those once painful tissues. This is where the real magic happens. (But we don’t just throw you into mindless exercises while you’re in pain)

In addition to the manual therapies listed above, we often utilize Bloodflow Restriction Therapy (BFR). This modality has been well researched and has the ability to help clients build muscle mass, muscle strength, develop tendon and bone health, and more.

The really cool thing about BFR is that exercises are done at a pretty low weight (about 25% of maximum effort), which allows us to really get clients stronger when they are in pain and unable to lift heavy weights.

Check out these articles for more info on the amazing:

• https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2018/04000/the_application_of_blood_flow_restriction__lessons.9.aspx

• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-018-0994-1

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1466853X18303584?via%3Dihub
   

We don’t use techs or PT Assistants, so your entire hour-long session will be with one of our doctors of physical therapy. You can schedule appointments with whichever doctor you prefer and fits your schedule best! And you may have the added benefit of two sets of eyes on you during your session, since we accept interns from BSU’s Pre-PT and Kinesiology programs throughout the year!

Yes, we do. Call (208)550-3775 to schedule your appointment.