Patient resources
New Patients: Create your patient portal profile
With your patient portal, you can access and complete your intake forms, see your upcoming appointments, cancel appointments, see your outstanding balance, pay your bill, assess information shared by your therapist, manage notification preferences and schedule personal training sessions online.
Patient Resources
Getting Started
We are here to help you! In Washington State getting access to physical therapy services and working with your medical insurance can pose real challenges. Although our state law says you do not need a written order/prescription/referral to have physical therapy, your medical insurance may require it. We are here to help and will try to make it as simple as possible.
Insurance and Billing
To Utilize your Insurance for Physical Therapy Services:
We suggest you contact your medical insurance company. The customer service phone number can be found on the back of your insurance card.
What to ask?
One of the most difficult questions is – do I need a prescription, referral, written order, or prior authorization for physical therapy to be deemed medically necessary and therefore be covered by my insurance? Ask your customer service representative if you need any of the above from your PCP (primary care physician), surgeon, etc. If so, ask your referring provider to provide that information to us as soon as possible so there is no delay in starting your treatment.
Self Referral and Self Payment:
If you don’t have medical insurance, are out of network, or choose not to use your medical insurance, we can still treat you! We offer a discount for payment at the time of service. Please call our office to make arrangements.
Our front office staff keeps the clinic running smoothy!
Click to download an Insurance Verification for Physical Therapy Benefits form that we have found to be useful when contacting insurance companies to request benefits.
Insurance
We accept most medical insurances. Some of the major insurance companies Bellingham Physical Therapy accepts are:
- Aetna
- Apple Health (Community Healthplan of Washington and DSHS only)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
- First Choice
- Healthcare Management Administration
- Kaiser Permanente
- L&I
- Medicare
- Premera
- Regence
- Teamsters
- TriWest
- United Health Care (Excludes the Apple Health plan)
It is always important to check with your insurance company to verify your physical therapy benefits. We will gladly bill your insurance company for any charges you incur. For questions about your specific insurance coverage, please contact us or your insurance company directly.
Billing
Co-payments and patient balances are due at the time of service if applicable. If we are in network with your insurance company, we will bill any remaining balance to you after your insurance company has processed your claims. If we do not contract with your insurance company or you do not have insurance, we will offer a discount for full payment at the time of service. For additional information about your bill, please contact our billing department directly by phone or email.
Phone: (800) 574-1063
Email: [email protected]
Your First Visit
Logistics
For your first visit at Bellingham Physical Therapy, we have compiled a list of a few things to help us and you be prepared for your first visit.
- At least 48 hours prior to your first visit, log into your patient portal and complete all of your intake forms. If you are unable to complete these forms online, we can help. Simply come by our office during business hours at least 48 hours prior to your visit. This will enable your therapist to be fully prepared with the information they need to provide you the best care.
- Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time so the front office staff can collect any payments or additional information, and you can be ready to start your appointment on time
- If your insurance company requires a prescription, referral, written order, and/or prior authorization, please bring this with you, along with:
- Your insurance card or L&I claim number
- Photo ID
- Any co-pay if applicable
Your first appointment may run 40-60 minutes. Follow up appointments are generally scheduled for 40-45 minutes. The number of follow up visits will depend on the nature of your condition, severity and complexity. We do require a 24 hour notice if you are unable to make your appointment. This will allow other patients to be seen.
Thank you for allowing us to assist you in reaching your ultimate goals that maximize your abilities to function and improve your quality of life
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the frequently asked questions we receive from patients who are interested in learning more about physical therapy and our approach to healing. If you have any additional questions, we’d be happy to answer them for you, just give us a call.
Appointments for physical therapy are made with our front office staff. Please call (360) 647-0444 to schedule an appointment. For personal training, you may call to schedule, or make your appointment online.
For your initial visit, please arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. For follow-up visits, please arrive 5 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment.
Please bring the following:
- Insurance card
- Photo ID
- Doctor’s referral (if needed)
- Appropriate clothing (see below)
- Any operative reports
- Diagnostic tests (x-rays, MRI, etc.)
- Protocols your physician has given you
- A list of any questions you might have
- Shorts are recommended for lower back, knee, ankle, or foot conditions.
- If we are assessing your gait or doing a running assessment bring in a pair of shorts along with your running shoes.
- Women should wear a sports bra or tank top for back, neck, or shoulder conditions.
To accommodate all our patients, reserving time slots for treatments is very important to operate our clinic efficiently. Cancelling at the last minute or failing to show for a session limits our ability to meet the scheduling needs of our other patients. Therefore, Bellingham Physical Therapy will charge a $75 fee to clients who fail to show up for an appointment, and $50 for those who cancel without giving 24 hours notice. If you have an emergency, please let us know. We may be able to reschedule your appointment or accommodate you with a telehealth appointment.
Your first visit with one of our physical therapists will last from 40-60 minutes. Follow up visits will be 40-45 minutes.
We accept most non-HMO insurance carriers, but you are still responsible for obtaining your policy details, such as:
- What coverage your policy includes
- Your co-payment amount
- What remainder (if any) you are expected to pay
A treatment program typically consists of 1 to 3 sessions per week. Your plan of care will be tailored to meet your specific needs.
All of our treatment sessions are individually tailored to each client, so it’s difficult to create a “standard” treatment list. Our clinicians utilize a combination of manual therapy, movement training, exercises, education and sometimes physical modalities to help patients achieve their goals.
Your primary physical therapist will be the one responsible for completing your evaluation, creating and progressing your plan of care, and ensuring your progress. In most cases, your care will be provided by a team consisting of your physical therapist and physical therapist assistant. On the rare occasion that this isn’t possible, another one of our trained physical therapists will cover your appointment as needed.
After an initial evaluation, your physical therapist will provide an initial report to send to your doctor regarding the findings, rehabilitation potential, and plan of care. During your episode of care, we will send periodic progress reports with updates and recommendations regarding your plan of care. We will also make phone calls, write emails or send faxes as necessary to communicate any necessary information to support your treatment.
Anyone is eligible for physical therapy. We accept private payments, and most insurances. If physical therapy is not an appropriate or necessary solution for you, we will determine this early on and refer you to the appropriate healthcare provider.
The state of Washington is a direct access state, which means everyone has access to physical therapy without a written order. If you want to have your insurance cover physical therapy, please contact your insurance company to determine if they require a written order, prescription or referral.
Still have a question?
If you still have a question that is not listed above, please contact us at (360) 647-0444.
Resources
Bellingham Physical Therapy is an active member of the larger health care community, and we recognize the value of a team approach for achieving maximal functional gains. We work closely with complementary therapies, aiming to improve dialogue between practitioners; and by so doing, achieve a whole body system approach.