Custom Care Therapy & Wellness, Inc.

Custom Care Therapy & Wellness, Inc.

FAQ

Here are some of our most frequently asked questions and their answers.

  1. What is a Physical Therapist?
  2. Do I need a doctor's referral to see a physical therapist?
  3. What choices do I have in obtaining physical therapy services?
  4. What types of medical problems can be treated by physical therapy?
  5. How do I make an appointment?
  6. What do I need to bring/wear for my first therapy session?
  7. What will my first visit be like and how long will it take?
  8. What is the patient/client's responsibility in physical therapy?
  9. Will my insurance cover Physical Therapy services?
  10. What type of fitness services do you provide?
  11. What forms of payment do you accept?

What is a Physical Therapist? 

Physical therapists are uniquely qualified to serve your fitness, pain reduction, and rehabilitation needs. We are trained within the medical model to be able to comprehensively evaluate, assess, and prescribe appropriate therapies based on your medical history, functional abilities, and personal goals for health and wellness.

An excerpt from the Practice Act for Physical Therapy in Louisiana defines a Physical Therapist as follows:

A physical therapist is a member of the health care profession and a graduate of an accredited school of physical therapy engaged in the evaluation and treatment of any physical or medical condition in order to restore normal function of the neuromuscular and skeletal system, relieve pain, or prevent disability by the use of physical or mechanical means including therapeutic exercise, mobilization, passive manipulation, therapeutic modalities, and activities or devices for preventative, therapeutic, or medical purposes, and further shall include physical therapy evaluation, treatment planning, instruction, consultative services, and the supervision of physical therapy supportive personnel, including physical therapist assistants.

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Do I need a doctor's referral to see a physical therapist? 

Yes and no. The following is a reference to the Louisiana Board of Physical Therapy Practice Act that defines how physical therapy is practiced in Louisiana. An initial evaluation or consultation of a screening nature to determine the need for physical therapy may be performed by a physical therapist without referral, but implementation of physical therapy treatment to individuals for their specific condition or conditions shall be based on the prescription or referral of a person licensed to practice medicine, surgery, dentistry, chiropractor, or podiatry.

However, a physical therapist licensed in Louisiana may perform physical therapy services without a prescription or referral under the following circumstances:

  1. To children with a diagnosed developmental disability pursuant to the patient's plan of care.
  2. As part of a home health care agency pursuant to the patient's plan of care.
  3. To a patient in a nursing home pursuant to the patient's plan of care.
  4. Related to conditioning or to providing education or activities in a wellness setting for the purpose of injury prevention, reduction of stress, or promotion of fitness.
  5. To an individual for a previously diagnosed condition or conditions for which physical therapy services are appropriate after informing the health care provider rendering the diagnosis. The diagnosis shall have been made within the previous ninety days. The physical therapist shall provide the health care provider who rendered such diagnosis with a plan of care for physical therapy services within the first fifteen days of physical therapy intervention.

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What choices do I have in obtaining physical therapy services? 

Once you have a prescription or referral for physical therapy, you may take that prescription/referral to any physical therapist you choose for services. Though some physicians have particular therapists they may prefer to send you to see, it is always the patient's choice as to where they receive therapy services. If your physician is not familiar with Custom Care Therapy & Wellness, please invite them to contact us for additional information about our practice and services offered. It is our goal to work closely with your referring physician so that you achieve the best outcomes possible from physical therapy. Additionally, some health care benefit plans and insurances may steer patients to certain providers and limit coverage payments in order to make more money. Custom Care Therapy & Wellness believes that the patient, in coordination with information from their trusted health care providers, should be able to choose where they receive medical services like physical therapy.
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What types of medical problems can be treated by physical therapy? 

Physical therapy can treat most physical or medical conditions in order to restore normal function of the neuromuscular and skeletal systems, relieve pain, prevent disability, and promote fitness. A list of conditions treated and services provided is available on the services page. If you have further questions as to whether we can treat your condition, please don't hesitate to contact our office.
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How do I make an appointment? 

Appointments are generally made by phone by the patient/client or their referring clinician? Our phone number is 318-949-9665. Additionally physicians, dentists, podiatrists, and chiropractors can send referrals/prescriptions to us by fax at 318-949-3909, and we will then call the patient/client to schedule an appointment.
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What do I need to bring/wear for my first therapy session? 

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What will my first visit be like and how long will it take? 

The first visit will involve an evaluation, assessment, and necessary treatment recommendations for physical therapy or fitness. Budget 45 to 75 minutes for the first visit. It is helpful to arrive 10 to 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time to make sure all necessary paperwork is completed. Completing the necessary paperwork and forms prior to your visit is very helpful and saves time.
Patient Registration Form

Upon completion of your initial visit, recommendations for further care, if indicated, will be made and future appointments can be scheduled. Most appointments for physical therapy are one hour in length.
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What is the patient/client's responsibility in physical therapy? 

Each physical therapy treatment plan is customized based on the your needs and goals. It is essential that you communicate what you need and expect to get out of therapy so that a treatment plan can be developed to best address your specific needs. Second, it is necessary that you arrive promptly for your scheduled appointments so that valuable treatment time is not lost. Third, it is very important for you to follow the home exercise plans prescribed in order to expedite your recovery or fitness goals. Lastly, a positive attitude toward the therapy and treatment goals you have helped establish makes a huge impact on the success of your therapy.
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Will my insurance cover Physical Therapy services? 

Health care plans and insurance companies can not ascertain what care you need nor should they dictate the care you receive or are recommended to receive. Your plan of care is based on the professional assessments of your therapist, your doctor, and your specific needs and goals. The therapist/patient and doctor/patient relationships should not be violated or intruded upon by third party payers. We believe that it is the patient's right to seek and obtain necessary health care services from qualified health care practitioners of their choosing.

Insurance

Most quality health care plans offer coverage for physical therapy and rehabilitation services. Because our primary focus is on providing a high standard of customized care to each of our patients and clients, Custom Care Therapy & Wellness does not participate as a preferred provider with any insurance plan. We are, however, an out-of-network provider for most insurance plans. As a courtesy to our patients with health care plans, we will provide and send a completed insurance claim form to your care plan for services rendered. Since health care plans are contracts between you/your employer and the insurance/care plan, we have found that many care plans and insurance companies are not as responsive to our requests for processing and benefits on your behalf. By submitting your claims and requests for benefits to be paid directly to you, your claims are often processed and paid more quickly than if a health care provider submitted a claim requesting payment on your behalf. Additionally, this policy helps us decrease the costs of providing care and gives you greater accountability and value for your health care dollars. This means that you will be responsible to pay for your therapy evaluation and treatment sessions at the time services are provided. Your health care plan should reimburse you for covered services within two to four weeks.

Medicare

We are considering Medicare enrollment, but at this time, are not Medicare providers and can't bill Medicare for you. Medicare patients/clients are eligible for fitness, maintenance, and wellness services that are not covered by the Medicare plan.
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What type of fitness services do you provide? 

Conditioning, education, and activities in a wellness setting for the purpose of injury prevention, reduction of stress, and/or the promotion of fitness are provided. An example of a common injury prevention program is our falls prevention and balance conditioning program. Contact us for further information on our fitness services.
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What forms of payment do you accept? 

We accept cash, check, debit cards, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover credit cards.
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