Appointments and Patient Information
To schedule or cancel an appointment at the Bethesda Physiocare® clinic, please call us between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm at (301) 656-5613 or click below…
Please bring your calendar with you when you visit our office to schedule your next appointment. Alternatively, you may call during office hours and we will assist you on the phone.
If you find that you cannot keep your appointment, please cancel it at least 24 hours in advance by calling the office or via email at info@bpcemail.com. By doing so, you enable us to schedule another patient for that time.
Speaking with Your Physical Therapist
Our phones are busiest during the first and last hours of the business day. When you call to speak to a physical therapist, our receptionist will gladly take a message if your therapist is not available at the time of your call. Please provide as many details as possible so that when your call is returned, the physical therapist will have all the appropriate information available. Since physical therapists are not always free to return calls during the day, we ask for both day and evening phone numbers.
You can also send an email to your therapist. We strive to get back to you on the same day.
Your Office Visit
Before coming to our office, we will send you a link via email. This will allow you to register and provide your medical history. Our physical therapists will review the provided information prior to your appointment. This can include relevant medical records such as X-rays, MRIs, and lab work. We recommend arriving 5-10 minutes early and letting our director of operations know who you are here to see. To best help you and direct the physical therapy, we would like to get you know you a bit more with some forms and questionnaires prior to seeing the physical therapist.
Musicians are requested to bring in their instruments (if possible) for their first appointment. We also provide an upright piano for evaluation and treatment.
Fees, Payment & Insurance
Our fees are based on the time it takes to evaluate and treat you. Bethesda Physiocare® does not accept patients with Medicare or Medicaid insurance. We do not participate with most HMO and PPO insurance companies, and as such, our offices are “out-of-plan” providers. We are a provider for Tricare and or the Workers’ Compensation carriers with the exception of Federal Workers’ Compensation. While we have a “contract” with our patients, patients have “contracts” with their insurance carriers. You are responsible for any charge that your insurance company does not cover, as well as deductibles, co-insurance, and non-covered services. We are exploring adding more insurance companies.
We require full payment when services are rendered. We offer multiple payment options, including MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express. Failure to provide payment at the time of services will automatically result in a cancellation of future appointments. We will submit the charges to your insurance carrier, who in turn may reimburse you for (part of) the charges.
Failure to show up for your appointment, or to cancel it with less than 24 hours’ notice, may result in a cancellation charge of up to $150 per appointment. This charge must be paid in full prior to rescheduling.
If you have questions about our fees or your bill, please contact Melissa Tucker, Director of Operations, at (301) 656-5613.
A current insurance card is required at the time of service. We commonly submit insurance claims, and your insurance company may require copies of our evaluation and progress notes. We ask that you become aware of your insurance company’s policies regarding physical therapy benefits, referrals, and pre-authorizations.
Liability (accident cases): Regardless of any liability action, timely payment of bills remains your responsibility. Medical and financial information will be released upon request after a release-of-information form is signed.
Requesting Records
We are happy to provide copies of our physical therapy records of your visit(s) to you, your physician(s), legal guardian, or attorney(s). Please ask the receptionist for a “Request for Records” form, complete the form, and your request for physical therapy records will be processed. Maryland law (Health General Sec. 4-304) and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act of 1996 allow physical therapists to charge patients (or the patient’s “personal representative”) a fee for copying medical records. The charges are adjusted annually for inflation in accordance with the Consumer Price Index.
A fee for copying not to exceed $0.76 for each page of the medical record, and the actual cost of postage and handling.
Preparation fee of $22.88 if the records are sent to another provider. The federal HIPAA regulations do not allow a charge for a preparation fee for records provided directly to the patient.
We can send your physical therapy records per Federal Express, but you will be responsible for the additional charges.
Feedback & Referrals
As our patient, you are our first concern. We hope that you are satisfied with our care and that you feel that you are treated with kindness and with courtesy. Please let us know if we have treated you well. With your written permission, we would like to feature your success story on our website as an inspiration for others.
If you are not satisfied with our care, please let us know on our contact page or on the following platforms so that we may correct any perceived deficiencies that may have occurred.
