FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Our goal is to provide as much clarity and information up front for our clients so that there are no surprises. Have a question you don't see listed? Send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
How long are appointments?
Both, Physical Therapy Initial Evaluations and Follow-Up Treatment appointments are approximately 1 hour long. Recovery sessions are available for either 30 min or 60 min sessions.
What should I wear?
It is recommended that you wear comfortable clothing that you can move in- preferably athletic wear or clothing that exposes the body part being treated.
Can I be seen WITHOUT a referral?
YES! The state of North Carolina and the state of Maryland are part of 20 states that allow patients total, unrestricted access to a physical therapist. According to state law, no type of physician referral is required for a physical therapist to evaluate or treat a patient.
Do you accept insurance?
No, Tidal Sports Rehab & Recovery is not in-network with insurance companies. We are a cash based, fee-for-service type business. See below to find out why. We can, however, accept your HSA/FSA cards.
Is it possible for my insurance company to reimburse me?
Possibly! It is possible for insurance companies to reimburse patients depending on the individual provider and plan. There is no guarantee that your insurance company will reimburse you for the services, however, Tidal Sports Rehab & Recovery can provide you with the paperwork necessary to submit your claim. It is the patient's responsibility to do so and also to provide payment in full, up front, at the time services are rendered.
Why do you not accept insurance?
After years of working with insurance companies, Dr. ashley O'Rourke founded Tidal Sports Rehab & Recovery in order to improve and simplify the patient experience. by cutting out the middle-man (insurance companies who often dictate the plan of care), patient and practitioner are able to focus on YOUR goals and not those set forth by the insurance companies.
Can I be seen for injuries to more than one body part?
Yes. Many times injuries to multiple body parts are related to one another. Evaluations and treatments take on a comprehensive, full body approach. While it is often recommended to focus on one body part at a time in order to recover more quickly, the physical therapist will discuss your specific case with you, take into consideration your goals and preferences and develop a plan of care together.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance. For cancellations made under 24 hours, a full session cost will be charged unless the appointment is moved to a different time on the same day as the cancelled appointment.
Where can I be treated?
We are a concierge service meaning WE COME TO YOU! Many of our patients wish to be treated in the comfort of their own homes, however, the physical therapist will come wherever is most convenient for you: offices, soccer field, apartment/condo gym etc. It is the responsibility of the patient to ensure the location is accessible and appropriate for the treatment provided.
Do you have a referral program?
Yes, 50% off 1 session for yourself for each referral you bring in.
Do you offer a group discount? Can my family member/friend and I be treated simultaneously?
Yes! We can treat up to a group of 3 people at one time for 1 hour Physical Therapy Treatment Sessions or 1 hour Recovery Sessions and up to 2 people for 30 min Recovery Sessions.
Do you offer packages or discounts for purchasing multiple sessions?
YES! All sessions purchased in a package must be used for the same client. Packages are listed below:
If I buy a package, when do my visits expire?
All sessions for any package purchased must be used within 1 year of purchase. Any unused sessions unused after 1 year will become invalid and will be forfeited.
What types of injuries do you treat?
While we specialize in treating orthopedic and sports injuries, we are competent in treating a wide aray of conditions. Not sure if we treat your condition? Text, email or call for more information!
Do you perform Dry Needling?
No. We currently do not provide this service, however, we hope to in the near future.
What types of treatment/services do you provide?
-Injury Evaluation & Treatment
What are the goals of treatment?
-Reduce & Eliminate Pain
What is Cash-Based Physical Therapy?
In a cash-based treatment model, the physical therapist enters into a contract with the patient to provide physical therapy services in a manner that both parties have determined will help them reach treatment goals most efficiently. The patient pays at the time of service, allowing the therapist to focus attention on providing the best possible service while keeping administrative costs low. You may pay for services using actual cash, a check, or a credit/ debit card (HSA/FSA cards also accepted).
Tidal Sports Rehab and Recovery is an out-of-network provider- what does this mean?
This simply means that the therapist has not entered into a contract with individual insurance companies to receive reimbursement based on their contracted rates. There are MANY insurance companies, each with their own contracted rates and regulations, and Tidal Sports Rehab & Recovery’s energy is best spent working with patients. It is important to note that in network provider status is not currently based on education, experience, skills, or treatment outcomes, but is often determined by the number of providers in a demographic area.
What steps are involved in submitting a claim to my insurance company?
The process is actually quite simple: Tidal Sports Rehab & Recovery will provide you with an invoice at the time of service, and you may submit that invoice and receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement. The invoice has all of the necessary information (business name and address, tax ID, national provider identification, license numbers, etc.) as well as the patient’s ICD-10 (diagnosis) and CPT (billing) codes. You may choose to submit bills following each visit, one time per month, or at any other interval, typically up to one year following your treatment visit.
Is cash-based physical therapy more expensive?
In many cases, the out of pocket expenses for a course of physical therapy will actually be LESS for services provided at Tidal Sports Rehab & Recovery. In large part, this is due to the ability to charge less per visit, with these charges being well below the national average charge submitted to insurance in a typical fee for service outpatient practice. Tidal Sports Rehab & Recovery can charge less because the simplified cash-based fee structure streamlines billing and does not require hiring billing personnel or paying fees to a third party billing service. This allows Restore Physical Therapy staff to focus all energy on patient care, and allows patients to make informed decisions regarding the costs of their health care choices.
Can you see Medicare/Medicaid Patients?
No. Outpatient physical therapy services are generally covered under Medicare Part B, provided the service is considered medically necessary to treat a disease or condition. Under current Medicare regulations, it is illegal for a physical therapist to accept cash pay from Medicare patients for services that may be covered under Medicare, even if the services provided meet all treatment, documentation, and HIPAA requirements and have been prescribed by their physician
What types of patients do you see?
While we specialize in treating active individuals with orthopedic and sports injuries (including post-surgical), we treat patients of all kind including: pre and postpartum women, pediatrics (8+ years old), some neurological conditions (MS, Parkinson's etc...depending on the severity), chronic pain (Fibromyalgia, Headaches...), amputations (case by case), general deconditioning.
Do you offer Telehealth?
Soon! We are currently working on implementing the software in order to provide Telehealth services to those in NC, MD, FL and NY!
How can I schedule an appointment?
Please use our online booking system or text/call 980-785-3733. If your call is not answered, please leave a voicemail. Calls are returned within 1-2 business days. For quicker response, please consider using text. You can also email info@tidalsportsrehab.com or DM our IG @tidalsportsrehab.
What are your hours?
Whenever is convenient for you! Tidal Sports sees patients on an appointment-only basis, 7 days a week (including some holidays- dependent on the Doctor's availability). Appointments may be booked as early as 5am and as late as 8pm.
How many visits will it take me to get better?
Without an evaluation, this is hard to answer. Generally speaking, the longer an injury has been going on- the longer the recovery process (though this is not always true). You should see relative improvement in symptoms or function by the 4th visit. In a traditional outpatient, insurance-based clinic where a patient is seen with 2-3 other people at a time, orthopedic patients generally require 2-3x a week. Here at Tidal Sports, we want you to GET BETTER FASTER! With one-on-one individualized care you are likely to get better with just 1-2 visits per week- saving you TIME and MONEY.
How can Cash-Based PT save me money?
Sometimes the insurance company will show a “discount” on a patient’s EOB (Explanation of Benefits) and an amount like this will come out to $700-$850 after discounts are applied. That “discount” ultimately reduces the clinic’s bottom line. Guess how clinics typically respond after a number of discounted rates come in? (Hint: They stop accepting that type of insurance, they prioritize patient's with other insurance companies ahead of you, or they base your treatment on what codes they will be reimbursed more for- instead of what is best for you.)
In this scenario you are spending
$3.58-$4.35 per minute in the clinic. If this clinic happens to use support staff (aides, techs, or assistants) to administer care then you are spending only a fraction of that time with your actual therapist.
In this day and age, it is likely that your deductible is going to be well over $1000 per year. This means that you will be responsible for the entire bill (which you will not receive until about 4-8 weeks later). SURPRISE! You wind up with a bill much larger than you expected and, in the meantime, you have likely been attending additional sessions adding more to your tab not realizing how much it is costing you per session. With a high deductable, your insurance company doesn't pay anything- they just get you a "discounted rate" which, in the end, many times is still more than the cash-based rate that we charge! This scenario doesn’t even factor in copays per visit if you have them...
1 evaluation (60 minutes) + 3 physical therapy visits (3 x 60 minutes) = 240 minutes
No copays, no deductibles, no out-of-pocket maxes to meet (that are rarely ever met without some sort of medical catastrophe).
That equates to
$1.67-$2.50 per minute in the clinic. Not only does this route get you a better dollar per minute ratio, but it also gets you the following:
Not to mention that most insurance plans still allow for out-of-network benefits and will accept itemized invoices from the cash-based provider for partial reimbursement to you (Making it even CHEAPER per minute!)
What forms of payment are accepted?
Cash, Check, Credit/Debit, HSA/FSA cards.