Frequently Asked Questions

No.  In the District of Columbia patients can come directly to a physical therapist without a prescription from a physician.  Most health insurance companies also do not require a doctor's prescription in order for you to receive physical therapy.   Medicare patients must have a recent prescription from a medical doctor in order to be evaluated and treated.   Feel free to call us if you have a question about whether or not your plan requires a prescription.  You can also call the phone number on the back of your insurance card and ask them if they require a physician’s prescription for physical therapy.

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 can click on our New Patients page where you will find all of the documents you will need.  You can print them, fill them out and bring to your appointment. Please arrive 10-15 minutes earlier than your scheduled time if you have not completed any paperwork beforehand.

If you haven’t done your paperwork ahead of time, you should arrive about 10-15 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 findings 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.

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.

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.

Each appointment after your initial evaluation (which is scheduled for 1 hour) is usually scheduled for half of an hour of one-on-one time with your physical therapist. We do offer hour long follow-up appointments when necessary.  Your appointment will also likely last longer if it is indicated for you to receive additional exercise (before or after your appointment time) or modalities such as moist heat, ice, or electrical stimulation at the end of your appointment. 

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 to maximize your coverage for physical therapy treatment sessions.  As a courtesy, we submit all claims for you.

At C.O.R.E., patients are responsible for the cost of the visit at the time of service.  Please call for our current rates.  As a courtesy, we will submit all claims to your insurance company.

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.