Frequently Asked Questions

We accept referrals from physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and several other health care practitioners as long as your insurance allows. The provider's office can fax the referral to us at 217-323-5113, or they can print you a physical copy of the referral. If you have not had an appointment with your provider, they may ask you to be seen before issuing a referral to therapy. Be sure to let the doctor know you'd like to come to BTC!

Our therapists perform an initial evaluation before any treatments are performed. This evaluation must be performed by a licensed physical or occupational therapist. The evaluation is very thorough and specialized to each individual patient. It will tell us whether or not therapy can help you, and we will set up a plan for your treatment with details about how and when you will improve. 

Cost is variable depending on insurance coverage. We take most major insurance companies. We have special plans for those with high deductibles. We encourage patients to speak with us before deciding therapy is too expensive. We will help each patient get the best value out of their therapy.

During the initial evaluation the therapist will recommend a treatment schedule. We work individually with each patient to decide what that schedule may look like. For some it is once a week, some three times a week, or even some once every month. We treat each patient as an individual that has their own goals. We will help you to achieve your goals and give you honest answers as far as how often you need to come to therapy. 

There are many reasons this may be the case. Often times, insurance requires PT or OT before they will allow further testing. Sometimes, testing doesn't show a problem that can be corrected surgically, so therapy is another option and is often times coupled with other interventions to get relief.  Also, physicians know that not all therapy is created equal. Where you choose to go for therapy makes a huge impact on your outcomes. 

Insurance companies have become increasingly stringent on requirements for approval of diagnostic testing. PT and OT prior to an MRI is one way to keep the overall cost of treatment down for patients. The therapist will perform an initial evaluation which will show if the patient has good potential to improve from therapy. We work closely with the physician's office and if we think therapy will be harmful instead of helpful, we will communicate that to the insurance company on your behalf, as well as to the physician's office. In our experience, patients often times feel much better with therapy, allowing them to forgo further imaging and saving money for the patient and the insurance company. 

Therapy uses a special kind of exercise, called corrective exercise to treat specific movement problems created by specific tissues in the body. When patients are generally active, or stretching major muscle groups, they often times aren't sequencing their exercise correctly in order to treat their dysfunction. Our therapists are trained to recognize dysfunction and prescribe exercises in a very specific way to improve pain and movement. 

In short- if you're having pain, difficulty performing a movement or activity, swelling, trouble walking or climbing, or trouble with your normal daily routine, we can help. Call for a consultation if you're not sure!

Most insurance companies still require a script from a doctor or advanced practitioner to be seen for therapy. If you're interested in direct payment (foregoing insurance) we can see you via direct access in Illinois, meaning you do not need a prescription to come to physical therapy.