No! In the state of California, we have what is called direct access to physical therapy. This means is you as a patient have unrestricted access to physical therapy and can schedule an appointment without needing a referral. Physical therapists are highly trained and will help you determine if a visit to your physician is necessary and will refer you if needed. If you are unsure whether you need to see your physician first, give us a call at and we can discuss your specific situation in more detail.
In short, no. At Lost Coast Physical Therapy we do not have a relationship with any insurance companies and are considered a "Fee for service" clinic where you pay the agreed upon rate at the time of your appointment. This means we are seen as "out-of-network" by all insurance companies and as such do not directly bill claims to your insurance company.
Yes! At the time of your visit you may request a "Superbill" from your therapist. After your visit, you will be emailed a PDF copy which you can then submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Often you are able to download a form from your insurance companies website for a self-claim to submit alongside the superbill provided.
Reimbursement is highly dependent on your specific insurance plan; therefore, all patients interested in seeking reimbursement are encouraged to call their insurance company to inquire about their coverage for “out of network” physical therapy and what this looks like for expenses submitted via a self-claim.
Please note - even if you seek physical therapy care at an 'in-network' provider, you may be sent a bill for your physical therapy services after your care if you haven't met your deductible. These bills may come as a surprise and can be difficult to budget for. We urge you to consider the care and attention you're receiving and be sure to get your money's worth via individualized attention at Lost Coast Physical Therapy. We are happy to work with you to developed tailored plans catered to your individual needs that you can budget for accordingly.
Most insurance companies have numerous restrictions that can affect the way we provide care. Without these restrictions, we are able to focus directly on YOU. Due to declining insurance reimbursement for physical therapy services, often PTs in insurance-based practices are expected to treat multiple patients at the same time or offer appointments that are 30 mins or less. All of our treatments are one-on-one ensuring you get the time and attention that you deserve. We offer 75-90 minute evaluations (depending on complexity of your case) and 60 minute follow up treatment sessions in which you will be the only patient treated that hour. This gives you and your therapist time to comprehensively discuss your situation and provide the best individualized care. You will never be double-booked with other patients or treated by someone else other than your physical therapist. In addition to private treatment sessions, you will have direct contact with your PT throughout the entire process which includes: email/text capabilities.
Additionally, if you have a high deductible health insurance plan, you may be required to pay for in-network care prior to meeting the deductible which can in some instances be considerably more expensive than our case even though it's 'in-network'. Review your plan details and contact your insurance company for further details.
Absolutely! You may use your FSA/HSA accounts for payment of your visits.
Patients are advised to wear comfortable clothing that they can easily move in, such as exercise clothes. During the evaluation, you will be put through a movement examination for us to accurately diagnose and treat your condition. At follow up visits, exercise will be a main portion of your treatment session as well; therefore, comfortable clothes that you can move in are highly recommended and appropriate footwear such as sneakers.
If you are seeking care for hip or knee pain- please bring shorts so we can better assess and see how you move. If you are seeking care for neck or shoulder pain- please bring a tank top so that we can see how these areas move.
All scheduling is appointment-only at this time. Appointments can be made from our website or you may contact us via our contact form, both of which are provided below. If you choose to submit a form, we will be in contact to discuss your concerns, answer any additional questions you may have, and explain our services and methods. At Lost Coast Physical Therapy, we will only take on patients we feel we can benefit and make their monetary investment worth it. If not, we will try and refer you to the appropriate provider who provide you with the best care for you.
We understand that sometimes things come up and you can no longer make your appointment as scheduled. If this happens, we request that you to notify us as soon as possible in order to give us time to fill your appointment time that would otherwise remain empty. Our current cancellation policy requires notice >24 hrs in advance of your scheduled appointment. If you do not provide notice or cancel <24 hrs before your appointment, you will be subject to a cancellation/no-show fee up to the full cost of your appointment.