Your First Physical Therapy Visit: What to Bring, How Insurance Works

Physical therapy at Innovare Tx is with Rowena Calleja, PT. She is a Texas-licensed physical therapist with 7+ years of physical therapy experience in the US. She also holds a medical degree from De La Salle University in the Philippines (2003); in the US she practices as a physical therapist, not as a physician. She speaks English and Tagalog. Read more about Rowena.

In Texas, physical therapy includes measuring and testing how your muscles, joints and nerves are working, and treatment aimed at restoring function. Your first visit is where that starts. Expect Rowena to:

Texas law is clear that a physical therapist cannot diagnose an illness or disease, and physical therapy is not a substitute for a medical diagnosis. If something in your evaluation needs a medical work-up, that is a visit with a clinician who can diagnose it; Charles Ortega, PA-C sees patients in the same clinic.

It helps to have these with you:

Texas law lets a physical therapist who meets certain conditions treat you without a referral for up to 30 consecutive calendar days. After that, the therapist needs a referral to keep treating you. When you start without a referral, you sign a disclosure that, among other things, says your health insurance may not cover the therapist's services. This is in Texas Occupations Code §453.301.

Insurance rules are a separate question. Some plans require a referral or prior authorization before they pay for physical therapy, whatever state law allows. Our article on whether you need a referral for physical therapy in Texas explains both, and our team can check your plan when you call.

We accept Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield (in-network), Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare and federal workers' compensation through OWCP, among 200+ plans. We do not accept Texas state workers' compensation. What you pay depends on your plan: deductibles, copays, coinsurance, visit limits and referral rules all vary. Call (214) 233-3094 before your first visit and our team will check your benefits. See insurance and billing for more.

According to Medicare, Part B helps pay for medically necessary outpatient physical therapy. A doctor or other health care provider, including a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant, must certify that you need it. After the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and there is no limit on how much Medicare pays for medically necessary outpatient therapy in a calendar year.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan or a supplement, your costs and rules can differ, so ask our team to check.

Physical therapy treats how you move. It is not where to start if you have not had a medical evaluation for a new or worsening problem that worries you, and it is never the place for an emergency: for a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

We also do not accept Texas state workers' compensation. If your injury is a Texas workers' comp claim, read your physical therapy rights under Texas workers' comp first.