• HOME
• ABOUT
• SERVICES
  • Orthopedic Physical Therapy
  • Manual Physical Therapy
  • Sports Physical Therapy
  • Spinal Physical Therapy
  • Pilates
  • Wellness & Prevention
  • Women's Health
  • Gait Analysis
  • Functional Movement Screen
• STAFF
• TESTIMONIALS
  • Hilary Granat
  • Jeff Robinson
  • Tony Touma
• FAQs
• FORMS
• EDUCATION
  • Educational Links
  • Jeff Robinson Scholarly Papers
  • Hilary Granat on Twitter
  • Events
• CONTACT

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get started?
At C.O.R.E. Physical Therapy, we have made it easy for you to get started. To start, simply call the office to schedule an appointment. Since many insurance companies now require physical therapy to be authorized, we like to do this before you arrive for the initial visit. Therefore, we ask that when calling the office to schedule your first appointment, be sure to have ready your referring physician's name, the part of your body your doctor is referring you for, and your insurance information. Prior to your first visit, you will need a medical doctor’s prescription for physical therapy if you would like us to submit claims to your health insurance. Be sure to wear comfortable workout clothes or loose-fitting clothes to your first appointment.

Why do I need to see a doctor before coming for physical therapy?
Most health insurance companies still require a medical doctor's prescription for physical therapy in order to process your physical therapy claims.  Medicare patients must have a recent prescription from a medical doctor in order to be evaluated and treated.

What should I bring with me?
For your first visit you will need your insurance card, a photo ID, and any paperwork that your physician asked you to take with you to physical therapy. To save you time on your initial visit, you may want to print out the Patient Data Intake Form and the Patient Medical History Form from this website under the heading of “New Patient Forms”. Please fill them out and bring them with you.

What should I expect on my first visit?
You should arrive about 15-20 minutes early to fill out some basic paperwork (don’t forget to bring in your prescription for physical therapy, your insurance card, and loose-fitting clothes). On your first visit, your physical therapist will perform an examination/evaluation to determine what deficits and/or problems you have that can be addressed in physical therapy. The examination/evaluation involves a thorough injury history and tests and measures that allow the physical therapist to get a more specific understanding of your condition. Your physical therapist will make a clinical judgment as to your diagnosis and prognosis. A treatment program will be developed aimed at resolving the problems identified. You will receive treatment and home exercises on your first appointment. Your first appointment will last approximately 60 minutes.

What type of treatment will I receive?
All physical therapy treatments are carefully tailored to the individual needs of each patient. The specific treatments to be performed will be determined by the treating physical therapist at the time of your initial evaluation and will be modified appropriately as your condition progresses. Please refer to the Services section of this website for more specific information related to this area.

Will I have a different therapist each time?
No. We feel that it is very important that each patient remains in the care of only one individual physical therapist. This insures excellent continuity of care, as well as detailed knowledge of a patient's history and progress. In the event that a scheduling conflict arises, the patient will be given the option to receive treatments under the care of a different therapist within our office.

How long will each appointment last?
Each appointment is scheduled for at least half of an hour of one-on-one time with your physical therapist. However, your appointment may last longer than that if it is indicated for you to receive additional exercise or modalities such as moist heat, ice, or electrical stimulation at the end of your appointment.

What type of insurance do you accept?
We accept all insurance plans. C.O.R.E. Physical Therapy is an out-of-network provider for all insurance companies, which allows us to maintain our high standard of care. We have chosen this form of practice so that we can provide one-on-one, quality care, based on the need of each client rather than being directed by the requirements of any insurance company. We will work with you and your insurance carrier to maximize your coverage for physical therapy treatment sessions. We will submit claims to the patient’s insurer. Although we will make every attempt to verify your insurance coverage for physical therapy, we also strongly suggest that you verify your coverage as well. Please call us to find out whether you are eligible for coverage, and if so, what your co-insurance and/or deductible will be.

How much will each visit cost me?
C.O.R.E. Physical Therapy works with a personal billing service, Applied Medical Management. Your out-of-pocket expense will vary depending on your insurance policy and your out-of network benefits. Most of our patients pay a $25-$45 co-insurance payment per visit. In addition to the co-insurance payment, C.O.R.E. Physical Therapy reserves the right to bill patients for amounts not covered by the insurance company. We accept check, cash, or Visa/MasterCard credit card payments. Patients are responsible for the payment of the co-insurance and deductible at the time of treatment.

Can I ask my doctor about physical therapy?
Absolutely! If you have a problem that you think can be helped by physical therapy, feel free to give us a call. After discussing with you your specific problem, we can give you a better idea if it is something that is manageable with physical therapy. You can also call your doctor. If he or she is not sure, he or she is welcome to contact us as well. In today's healthcare, if you feel physical therapy can be helpful to you, you will need to stress your feelings to the doctor you are seeing. You must have a prescription from your physician to attend physical therapy.

What makes us different from all of the other physical therapists in the area?
Our expertise. The quality of our therapists is unmatched in the Washington DC metropolitan area. We are widely regarded and respected as leading experts in physical therapy. Physicians regularly send their own office staff and family members to our facility. We are dedicated to resolving your problems in an environment that is welcoming and relaxed. Patients receive personalized care from a licensed physical therapist, not an assembly line atmosphere. We treat each and every patient on an individual basis. C.O.R.E. Physical Therapy is the partner you need to ensure a complete recovery.