Frequently Asked Questions

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All of our therapists have passed the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) and have been licensed through the State of Wyoming.

Physical Therapy billing is similar to other medical billing facilities.

• After your appointment your Physical Therapist will submit charges to your insurance company. These charges include the Common Procedure Terminology (CPT) codes used during that visit as well as how many of each code were used.
• Your insurance company will process these charges, make adjustments for in-network rates (discounts) and pay for charges and send remaining balances due to Optimal for us to collect from the patient.
• At this point your Insurance company will also issue out an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to you for you records. The EOB will show how much your insurance paid as well as how much you will owe for therapy.
• We take payments each visit and are happy to work out payment plans with patients who will have multiple visits.
• Occasionally there are errors in processing or billing insurance companies which can slow this process down. It is important that we receive correct insurance/billing information so we can begin this process as soon as possible.
• If you have a secondary Insurance plan they often pick up a large portion of the balance due after the primary insurance pays. Having a secondary insurance also means that they must process your claims after the primary insurance processes, which may take additional time.

Please let us know if you have any specific questions. We are in-network with many different insurance companies in Wyoming. We also accept cash pay patients (Patients who do not want to use insurance, but rather just pay for claims themselves); and often times this allows for a discounted cost to those patients.

For most insurance plans in Wyoming you are allowed to go directly to a Physical Therapist for 30 days. After this 1 month period your therapist will discuss with you further treatment options and if you will need to get a Prescription for physical therapy. Our office will help with this process as needed.

If you experience any set-backs or flare-ups please give us a call. We will discuss treatment options to help determine if you need to come in for more therapy or if you need to return to your doctor. We can also modify your home exercise program as needed.

Pain relief can be one of the primary goals for patients. Achieving this goal can be accomplished with many different Physical Therapy techniques and modalities. Manual Therapy or Manipulative Therapy is a hands-on technique often used to treat musculoskeletal pain and disability.
Some modalities including electrical stimulation, Trigger Point Dry needling, and heat/cold therapy can be used as well. Your PT will have you complete different exercises for pain relief and to start to recover range of motion, strength, and endurance. Some of these exercises can be painful.
For example, patients recovering range of motion after surgery may experience pain. Your PT will utilize a variety of techniques to help maximize your treatment goals. Communication is very important during therapy in case any changes to your Plan of Care need to take place.

Benefits of Physical Therapy
Physical therapists treat people of all ages and abilities. Here are some ways a physical therapist can help you.

Maximize Your Movement
Pain-free movement is crucial to your quality of life, your ability to earn a living, and your independence. Physical therapists are movement experts who can identify, diagnose, and treat movement problems.

Participate In Your Recovery
Physical therapists work collaboratively with their patients and clients. Treatment plans are designed for each person’s individual goals, challenges, and needs.

Avoid Opioids
Opioid risks include depression, overdose, and addiction, plus withdrawal symptoms when stopping use. In some situations, dosed appropriately, prescription opioids are an appropriate part of medical treatment. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging health care providers to reduce the use of opioids in favor of safe alternatives like physical therapy for most long-term pain.

Avoid Surgery
Before you undergo expensive or invasive surgery, try physical therapy. For some conditions, including meniscal tears and knee osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tears, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disk disease, treatment by a physical therapist has been found to be as effective as surgery.

Source: APTA

Initial Evaluations normally last around 45 minutes to 1 hour. Follow-up appointments will last anywhere from 30 – 45 minutes. Often patients will come in 15 minutes before their scheduled time to get started with modalities.

During your first appointment you can expect the following:

• Show up at least 10 – 15 minuets before your scheduled appointment to have plenty of time to complete paperwork
• Allow us to scan your ID and Insurance information
• Give us your Prescription for Physical Therapy (Provided by your doctor)
• You will be seen by your Physical Therapist and they will discuss the following:
– Medical History
– Problems & Complaints
– Pain Intensity
– How your problem impacts your daily life and functional limits
– Goals
– Medications and relevant health information

• Your Physical Therapist (PT) may perform the following during your initial evaluation:
– Palpation: Your PT may touch around the pain or problem area. This procedure is completed to check for tenderness, temperature, swelling, tissue integrity and inflammation
– Range of motion: Your PT will move your joint(s) to check for the quality of movement and restrictions you may have
– Muscle Testing: Your PT may check for the strength and quality of your muscle contraction.
– Neurological Screening: Your PT may check to see how the nerves are communicating with muscles, sensing touch, vibration, pain or temperature.
– Special Testing: Your PT may perform special tests based on your condition to confirm/rule out the presence of problems.
– Posture Assessment: The position of joints relative to each other may be assessed.

• From this initial examination your PT will work closely with you to determine your Plan of Care (POC). Your POC will dictate how often you will come to therapy here at Optimal and for how long. The POC will also include short/long term goals. Your PT may also give you a Home Exercise Program (HEP). Your HEP is a set of workouts you will complete at your home.

Your specific number of visits will be determined in your Plan of Care. Please see above in “What happens during my initial appointment?” for more information.
Make sure to bring your Prescription for Physical therapy from your physician (if you were given one) and your payment information . We will also need a form of ID (usually a driver’s license). If you are utilizing insurance we will also need to see your insurance cards. If you are covered by Worker’s Compensation please make sure to have you claim number and case manager’s contact information. If you are covered by an auto insurance please have this information ready for us.
Please wear loose fitting clothing so you can expose the area we are evaluating and treating. For example: For knee or leg problems, it’s best to wear shorts. For a shoulder problem, wear a loose shirt or tank top. For back problems, wear a loose fitting shirt and pants. We also have all sizes of shorts and gowns available for our patients to wear.