Understanding Two Powerful Paths to Pain Relief and Healing

When you’re dealing with back pain, neck stiffness, or recovering from an injury, you might wonder:
Should I see a physical therapist or a chiropractor? The good news is, both physical therapy and chiropractic care are valuable, non-surgical options for addressing pain, restoring function, and improving your quality of life. But they take different approaches — and knowing the difference can help you choose the care that’s right for you. Physical therapy (PT) focuses on helping patients restore movement, strength, balance, and function after injury, illness, or surgery. PTs use scientifically based techniques to treat the underlying cause of pain or dysfunction. Physical therapy is often used after surgeries, sports injuries, strokes, or chronic conditions like arthritis. It’s a progressive, functional approach focused on helping you get back to your normal activities — or better than before.

Chiropractic care is a healthcare discipline that focuses on diagnosing and treating mechanical disorders of the spine and musculoskeletal system, especially misalignments (called subluxations). Chiropractors aim to restore proper spinal alignment, improve nerve function, and relieve pain — especially back and neck pain, headaches, and joint discomfort. Care often involves regular adjustments to maintain alignment over time. Some clinics even offer collaborative care, where PTs and chiropractors work together to get you faster results.
Both professions are dedicated to helping you live pain-free — just through different approaches.

¨If you or someone you know might need physical therapy, please call us at 305-570-1633, or if you are interested in opening a Physical Therapy Franchise. Email us franchise@physicaltherapynow.com or visit our website at https://physicaltherapynow.com/franchise/

As healthcare reimbursement continues to decline and operational costs rise, many organizations are searching for ways to optimize billing and increase revenue per outpatient therapy visit. One question we’ve heard more frequently is: “Can a hospital bill HCPCS code G0463 every time a patient receives outpatient physical, occupational, or speech therapy?” To help clarify this issue, we’re breaking down what G0463 represents, when it can be billed, and why it does not apply to therapy-specific revenue codes. According to the 2025 HCPCS Level II coding manual, G0463 is defined as: “Hospital outpatient clinic visit for assessment and management of a patient.” This code is used by hospitals to report clinic visits where evaluation, treatment planning, and coordination of care occur in a hospital outpatient setting.

Hospitals are allowed to bill G0463 for outpatient clinic visits that involve assessment and management services. These are typically medical or primary care-related appointments, not therapy services. To be valid, G0463 must be paired with a supporting revenue code that aligns with clinic or evaluation-type services. Hospitals should not bill G0463 when a patient attends an outpatient therapy session for physical, occupational, or speech therapy. The revenue codes associated with therapy services (042x, 043x, 044x) are not aligned with the clinic-based evaluation and management services required for billing G0463. Trying to bill G0463 in this context could lead to denials, compliance issues, or audit risk. As hospitals and therapy clinics navigate financial pressures, it’s important to optimize billing within the rules. While G0463 can be a valid code for hospital-based outpatient clinic visits, it does not apply to therapy services billed under the appropriate therapy revenue codes.

¨If you or someone you know might need physical therapy, please call us at 305-570-1633, or if you are interested in opening a Physical Therapy Franchise. Email us franchise@physicaltherapynow.com or visit our website at https://physicaltherapynow.com/franchise/

One of the most common questions we hear at Physical Therapy Now is:
“Do I need a referral from my doctor to start physical therapy?”

The answer depends on where you live and your insurance plan—but in many cases, the answer is: NO, you don’t!
Thanks to something called Direct Access, patients in many states can go straight to a licensed physical therapist without needing a physician’s referral. Direct Access means you have the legal right to seek evaluation and treatment from a physical therapist without a referral from a doctor or specialist. It’s designed to give patients quicker access to care—especially important when you’re in pain or recovering from an injury. As of now, all 50 U.S. states allow some form of Direct Access, although the rules vary slightly from state to state. Skipping the referral process can save you time (no waiting for another doctor’s appointment), start your recovery sooner and reduce out-of-pocket expenses,especially if a doctor visit would cost you extra. It puts you in control of your health and recovery without unnecessary delays.

Even though Direct Access is allowed in many cases, your insurance plan might still require a referral or prescription to approve coverage. Here’s when you might need one: If your insurance mandates a referral for reimbursement, if you’re covered by Medicare, which often requires documentation from your physician and if your state has restrictions. You don’t always need a doctor’s referral to start physical therapy—and that’s great news if you’re ready to feel better, move better, and get back to doing what you love. Thanks to Direct Access, many patients can begin treatment right away.

¨If you or someone you know might need physical therapy, please call us at 305-570-1633, or if you are interested in opening a Physical Therapy Franchise. Email us franchise@physicaltherapynow.com or visit our website at https://physicaltherapynow.com/franchise/¨

What you need to know before starting treatment. If you’re considering physical therapy to recover from an injury, manage chronic pain, or improve mobility, you might be wondering: “Is physical therapy covered by my insurance?” The good news is that in most cases, yes. Most major health insurance plans—including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers like Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Blue Cross Blue Shield—do cover physical therapy services. Coverage usually depends on:
Medical necessity

A referral or prescription from your doctor

Your plan’s deductible and copayments

Depending on your insurance plan and state laws: Some plans require a referral from your primary care doctor or a specialist. Others allow direct access, meaning you can schedule an evaluation with a physical therapist without a referral. In the clinic, the front desk person always verifies your coverage and referral requirements before your first visit—so there are no surprises. If you don’t have insurance, that doesn’t mean you can’t get care. Here at Physical Therapy Now, we offer: Affordable self-pay rates, discounted therapy packages, flexible payment plans. Your health shouldn’t have to wait because of coverage issues. Our goal is to make your experience easy, affordable, and stress-free. If you’ve been putting off therapy because of insurance questions, we’re here to help.
Call your nearest Physical Therapy Now clinic and we’ll walk you through your benefits, coverage, and options—so you can start your recovery journey today.

¨If you or someone you know might need physical therapy, please call us at 305-570-1633, or if you are interested in opening a Physical Therapy Franchise. Email us franchise@physicaltherapynow.com or visit our website at https://physicaltherapynow.com/franchise/¨

In today’s fast-moving world, convenience and access to healthcare are more important than ever. At Physical Therapy Now, we’re proud to be at the forefront of innovation in patient care—including the integration of telehealth physical therapy across our franchise locations nationwide.

Why Telehealth in Physical Therapy?
Telehealth isn’t just a trend—it’s a transformative tool that breaks down barriers to care. Whether a patient is managing a chronic condition, recovering from surgery, or looking for mobility solutions, virtual physical therapy offers safe, effective, and flexible care from the comfort of home.

Here’s how we’re making it work for our patients and franchisees:

1. Personalized Virtual Evaluations
Our telehealth platform allows licensed physical therapists to perform comprehensive initial evaluations via secure video sessions. Using guided assessments and patient-reported symptoms, we create customized care plans that mirror the precision of in-person visits.

2. Home-Based Exercise Programs (HEPs) with Real-Time Coaching
Through live telehealth sessions, our PTs guide patients through their home exercise programs, providing real-time corrections, encouragement, and education to ensure proper form and progress. These sessions increase accountability and drive better outcomes.

3. Post-Operative Check-Ins & Pain Management
Post-op recovery can be stressful. We offer virtual follow-ups to monitor healing, adjust rehab plans, and provide support—especially valuable for patients with limited mobility or transportation challenges.

¨If you or someone you know might need physical therapy, please call us at 305-570-1633, or if you are interested in opening a Physical Therapy Franchise. Email us franchise@physicaltherapynow.com or visit our website at www.physicaltherapynow/franchise¨

Your body just did something incredible. But after pregnancy and childbirth, it’s totally normal to feel different. Maybe you’re dealing with back pain, pelvic pressure, etc. The good news? You don’t have to live with those symptoms—postpartum physical therapy can help.
Postpartum physical therapy focuses on helping your body recover from the physical demands of pregnancy and childbirth. It’s not just for elite athletes or women recovering from C-sections, every new mom can benefit.
Think of it as rehab for your core, pelvic floor, posture, and movement patterns, all of which may have shifted during pregnancy.
You deserve to feel strong, confident, and supported in your body again. Pain, leaking, and core weakness aren’t things you just have to “live with” now that you’ve had a baby. postpartum physical therapy can help you:
• Move without pain
• Restore core and pelvic floor strength
• Feel more like yourself again
Whether your goal is to return to the gym, chase after toddlers, or simply sit and stand comfortably, Physical Therapy helps you get there.

¨If you or someone you know might need physical therapy, please call us at 800-481-4582, or if you are interested in opening a Physical Therapy Franchise. Email us franchise@physicaltherapynow.com or visit our website at www.physicaltherapynow/franchise¨

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