FAQs

Questions about MTI Physical Therapy

  • I want to come prepared for my first appointment – what should I do?

    Please have your prescription and insurance card available when you call. This will allow us to verify your insurance benefits and provide you with an estimate of coverage.

    To bring on your first visit:

    • Insurance information (we will make a copy of your card).
    • A prescription (if needed) for physical therapy from your referring physician, ARNP, or PA.
    • In case of an automobile accident or worker’s compensation claim, also bring any case manager or insurance adjuster contact names, phone numbers, and claim number.
    • Fill out your electronic patient intake forms online before coming in for your visit. If you are unable to do this, print out the patient forms, fill them out, and bring them with you, or allow for extra time to fill these out upon your arrival.
    • Please wear comfortable clothing that allows easy access to your problem areas.
    • Please arrive 15 minutes early to complete any remaining paperwork, so you can maximize your time in your evaluation.
  • There are lots of physical therapy companies – why should I choose MTI?

    As a patient you have the right to receive physical therapy at any place you choose. At MTI Physical Therapy, you will receive the highest quality care while achieving the results you need. This is because all of our physical therapists have advanced training in orthopedic manual physical therapy or sports therapy. You will never be treated by an aid or assistant - we only employ licensed physical therapists.

    We know that you are as unique as your fingerprint and work diligently to assess what is causing the pain in your body and develop a personalized plan to address it. This plan will include the use of manual therapy and other physical therapy techniques, specifically dosed exercises tailored for you, and education so that you understand what’s happening in your body. The goal is not only to treat your current dysfunction, but to also help you learn how to avoid future issues in your body by truly understanding the source of your pain. We will partner with you and your physician every step of the way so that you can get back to doing the activities you love.

    We pride ourselves on providing a positive, encouraging environment with well-trained, friendly staff.  We are confident in our ability to help you reach your goals and live a pain-free life.

  • What is Manual Therapy?
    Manual therapy is an advanced level of physical therapy training that includes skilled, specific hands-on techniques to diagnose and treat soft tissues and joint structures. Expected outcomes may include managing pain, increasing range of motion, reducing soft tissue tension, eliminating joint inflammation, increasing joint mobility, improving joint stability, proper recruitment of muscle groups, restoring normal movement patterns, improving general fitness and returning to work/sport. Learn more about Manual Therapy .
  • What is the difference between manual therapy and physical therapy?
    Manual therapy is a specialty within the field of physical therapy. Traditional physical therapy focuses more on managing and treating the symptoms of the disease process, while manual therapy focuses more on performing biomechanical, tissue-based examination to identify the cause of the disease process. In treating the cause, along with the symptoms, the outcome has higher expectations.
  • What should I know about physical therapy (PT)?

    Physical therapy is a medical, hands-on approach to relieving pain and restoring function. Physical therapists are medical experts in musculoskeletal and neurological conditions and work closely with physicians. 

    Our physical therapists evaluate your movement patterns, identify the cause of your pain, and work to eliminate it.

    While every patient’s condition and pain is unique, our physical therapist will use a variety of gentle hands-on techniques, exercises, and equipment to relieve pain quickly and restore your function to optimum levels. 

    The overall goal is to restore pain-free mobility and function and to prevent the injury or pain from recurring.

  • What does one-to-one care mean?
    Pioneering the 1:1 model of care, all MTI clinics schedule patient visits entirely with a physical therapist. We have elected to avoid the industry standard of scheduling 2 or more patients per visit slot with unlicensed staff, or physical therapy assistants, participating in patient care. MTI only provides physical therapy services solely with physical therapists, not with assistants, aides, trainers or any other unlicensed staff. Learn more about one-to-one care page .
  • What do the physical therapist’s credentials mean (ie. DPT, FAAOMPT)?
    At MTI, we employ only licensed physical therapist to deliver care (no assistants, aides or trainers). Our skilled Physical Therapists are highly motivated to continue to learn and evolve as clinical specialists. Going beyond just weekend seminars in training, our staff continues to seek professional advancement through advanced clinical training, earning the credentials you see after their names. View a full list of credentials .
  • What is the clinical teaching arm of MTI all about?
    MTI Physical Therapy (MTIPT) was founded with the mission to create clinical teaching centers for advanced 1-3 year post-graduate training programs in orthopedics, sports and manual therapy. MTIPT has been affiliated with The Ola Grimsby Institute (OGI) for our post-graduate seminars, orthopedic residency and manual therapy fellowship programs. In 2018, we embarked on our own Sports Residency Program, accredited through ABPTRFE. More recently, we have partnered with the University of Washington (UW) to also provide a clinical training site for orthopedic residents in UW's program. Our physical therapists who graduate from these formal programs become mentors for our residency programs, as well as for undergraduate physical therapy students. They also become mentors for special 1:1 clinical mentorship programs on advanced topics. Several of our master clinicians also teach OGI seminars and are invited speakers for conferences and at other PT companies. For over 25 years, our MTI staff has taught more than 500 courses in different cities throughout the United States, Europe, Scandinavia and Asia. In addition to our own teaching, we regularly sponsor courses from outside institutions to further the education of all PTs in the area. These include courses from Owen's Recovery on "Blood Flow Restriction Therapy", Cogent Steps on "Emergency Response for the Athlete" and USA Rugby on "ICIR2 - Immediate Care in Rugby" and "Match Day Doctor". To further the mastery of our own staff, we enjoy sponsoring local physicians and speakers, as well as some of the world’s best in their field to present to our staff: Ola Grimsby, PT, Laurie Hartman, DO, Daryl Herbert, DO, Kathe Wallace, PT, Jack Stagge, PT, Gordon Brown, PT, Donna Bajelis and others. Learn more about the clinical teaching arm of MTI.
  • Can I benefit from PT treatments?

    Working with you and your doctor, we can discuss your options and help determine if physical therapy will be the right choice for you. Call us today to discuss your current condition or request an appointment now.

  • Do you treat my condition at your clinic?

    Physical therapists have years of university level training in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology (study of joint movement), neurology, and many of the other medical sciences. 

    Our physical therapists have graduated from accredited physical therapy programs and are state licensed. Depending on the university, the physical therapy program is either a masters or doctorate level degree. 

    Rest assured, your therapist is well trained to evaluate and treat your condition

  • Do I need a referral for physical therapy?
    In general, it is best to have a referral or a prescription for physical therapy. This information allows your Physician to let your Therapist know your needs, which will help your Therapist to provide you with the highest level of individualized care. Additionally, your insurance company may require you to have a prescription or referral to receive treatment. We suggest that you contact your insurance company to find out whether they require a referral or prescription in order to cover Physical Therapy services.
  • How can I schedule an appointment?

    Our scheduling is easy and we offer a convenient location and appointment times for you. We have morning and evening appointments available to meet the demands of your busy schedule. Call us today or request an appointment.

  • Will I start noticing relief right away?

    Each patient’s diagnosis is different, so your physical therapist will work with your referring physician to develop a plan of care that is right for you. If you attend your scheduled appointments and follow your at-home exercise program, you should notice relief over time. 

  • Do I need to wear certain types of clothes to my appointments?

    During your appointment, your physical therapist will be examining your movement patterns, so dress comfortably in clothes that will allow you to move easily and comfortably. Please also wear supportive sneakers to your appointment. 

  • Do PT treatments hurt?

    Physical therapy is not meant to hurt; it is meant to relieve pain. However, as you restore your mobility, pain levels, at times can fluctuate. You might experience some temporary soreness from using muscles that are weakened or recovering. 

    This is a normal response to therapy treatment. Good communication with your therapist will help minimize any discomfort. We want you on your way to quick pain relief and back to normal activities.

  • Why do we have a no show / late cancel policy?
    MTI Physical Therapy is a unique business in which patients receive one-to-one care. Due to our business model, it is imperative that patients respect the time dedicated to their care. The No Show / Late Cancel policy is in place to reinforce the need for consistent care in order for a patient’s condition to improve. In order for MTI Physical Therapy to be able to continue to provide one-to-one care, we must collect these fees if a patient doesn’t show up for an appointment or cancels within 24 hours of their appointment time.
  • I cancelled my appointment. Why did I get a reminder message?
    Reminder messages go out two days before your scheduled appointment. If you cancelled your appointment, but still received a reminder message, please call us to confirm that your appointment was in fact cancelled.
  • What if I need to cancel my appointment over the weekend?
    If you need to cancel your appointment over the weekend, you can call the clinic and leave a message explaining why you need to cancel. On Monday, when messages are checked, you will receive a call to confirm that your appointment was cancelled.
  • What happens if my Therapist cancels my appointment at the last minute?
    If your Therapist has to cancel your appointment at the last minute due to an emergency, we will contact you to either reschedule your appointment with your regular Therapist, or schedule you with another Therapist on the same day if one is available.
  • I’m feeling better but I still want to continue sessions – is that possible?

    Yes, once you have completed your therapy sessions, your therapist will review your continuing home program.  

  • Do you do ultrasound?
    Yes, we do provide ultrasound services. However, we do need to know in advance to make sure we have the equipment available at the time of your appointment.

Billing Questions

  • What is PIP?
    PIP stands for Personal Injury Protection. It is a benefit (provided by your auto insurance company), which you will use to cover medical expenses after an automobile accident. Please check with your auto insurance company to see if you have PIP coverage.
  • What is L&I?
    L&I stands for Labor and Industries. If you are injured on the job, L&I is the state funded medical coverage which you will utilize to cover your medical care while being treated. Be sure to contact your employer to fully understand the requirements of Labor and Industries.
  • What is a copay?
    A copay is a per visit fee assessed to the patient by the insurance company at each visit. The patient should pay this fee to the provider at the time of each visit.
  • What is a deductible?
    A deductible is the yearly dollar amount due from the patient to the provider. This amount is processed by the insurance company, but is not paid. The patient is responsible for issuing payment to the provider.
  • What is coinsurance?
    Coinsurance is the percentage of a visit not paid for by insurance. That is the amount that the patient owes the provider.
  • What is secondary billing?
    Patients often have more than one insurance. Secondary billing is any billing to another insurance company after the primary insurance has paid. MTI will bill your “secondary” once. After that, patients are expected to follow up on any unpaid balance with their secondary insurance company.
  • What are benefit limits?
    Every insurance plan has limitations on how many services, what type of service a patient can receive under their insurance benefits, or the length of time services may be provided. Patients should contact their insurance companies to determine what limits are in place regarding Physical Therapy. Patients are responsible for any balance if benefit limits are exceeded.
  • Will my insurance cover my appointments?

    MTI Physical Therapy will be happy to assist in contacting your insurance company and determine your coverage based on your individual policy. 

    For more information, visit our insurance and billing information page and please do not hesitate to contact our Bellevue, Edmonds, Magnolia, Fremont or First Hill clinics in Seattle,WA. We do offer different payment options for your convenience.

  • Do you have to bill my insurance?
    Patient’s may choose to not have claims billed to their insurance company. However, the Patient would then be required to remit payment in FULL at the time of service.
  • What should I do if I don’t have insurance?

    For patients who do not have insurance, we offer a discounted fee, due at the time of service.

  • Do you offer a discount if I don’t have insurance?
    If you do not have insurance and will be paying for your bill yourself, a discount may be arranged. This discount is in consideration of not having to incur some of the administrative costs of billing insurance.
  • What is the best payment method for my sessions?

    We accept debit cards, credit cards and checks. We are happy to discuss payment plan options as well. It is our policy that payment is made at the time of service. 

    Your insurance benefits will be determined before your second visit, and you will be informed of what, if any, payment is necessary on that date.

  • What’s my best option if you are out of network with my insurance?
    Your best option is to contact your insurance company to see if you have out-of-network benefits. Once you do, you can contact one of MTI’s clinics to discuss your options. If you do not have out-of-network benefits, you will be expected to pay at the time of service.
  • What are liens or settlements?
    Liens and settlements are part of the auto accident process. However, MTI does not accept liens or settlements at this time. MTI will not wait for payment while your attorney negotiates a settlement.
  • I am waiting on a settlement — can I pay you then?
    MTI does not await payment. Patients are asked that they pay for services up front.
  • Why can’t you bill my 3rd party auto insurance? How is 3rd party defined?
    MTI has a policy of not billing an insurance with which the patient has no contractual agreement. Simply put, because the 3rd party policy is not owned by the patient and MTI is not contracted with Auto / PIP carriers, MTI will not send claims to those carriers. MTI is happy to provide Patients with the necessary documents as needed.
  • Why does my last payment not reflect on the current billing statement?
    We recently changed our statements — ALL Patient statements show the last payment made on their statements now.
  • I never got an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from my insurance – can you send me one?
    No. Please contact your insurance company or go online to your insurance company’s website where you can request or review your EOBs.
  • If I have a question about my bill and contact the Billing Department, why am I referred back to my Physical Therapist to get it resolved?
    That’s a great question! Our Billing Department is in charge of working with insurance companies and collecting payments from insurance companies and patients, as well as posting those payments to patient accounts. Like many Physical Therapy practices, our Physical Therapists are responsible for putting in billing codes after they have treated a patient and handling other fees that patients incur, such as needing to purchase equipment to support their treatment. If you have a question about your bill, please start by contacting the Billing Department. If your question pertains to a fee that you would like to discuss, the Billing Department may refer you back to your Therapist.