Pinecone Physio Frequently Asked Questions

Our top priority is ensuring a safe and secure environment for both our team members and our patients. We are closely monitoring the latest research regarding Covid-19 (Coronavirus). Pinecone Physio has always kept immaculate standards of its clinic.  We have always, and will continue to:

• Require our team members to deeply clean all tables and equipment after each use.
• Provide hand sanitizer that meets the requirements for antiviral disinfectant.
• Perform nightly deep cleaning of the clinic.

When the Coronavirus pandemic began, Pinecone Physio added an additional sterilization process in its clinics, using an EPA-registered disinfectant that qualifies under the EPA’s emerging viral pathogen program for use against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. We also implemented patient and therapist screening, which ensure we are well beyond the CDC’s recommended sanitization levels for a service that the Federal and State governments have identified as an essential service. 

We are also requiring all team members, and are asking the same of all patients at our clinics, to:

• Wear a mask. Learn more about our mask policy here.
• Wash their hands and/or sanitize after each interaction with any individual, including but not limited to physical therapy treatment.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. (Pretend you just chopped habanero peppers).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. (Wash your hands like you also just chopped habanero peppers and now you have to take out your contacts).
• If soap and water are not readily available, use the hand sanitizer available at our clinic.

For physiotherapy and wellness sessions we recommend wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and a pair of rubber-soled sneakers. Every treatment course begins with a comprehensive evaluation. If your symptoms come on during certain activities, we will want to see you do those activities during your evaluation, so wear the type of clothes you would wear while performing those same activities. 

For red light therapy sessions, wear undergarments or a swimsuit underneath your clothing. Once in your room you will undress to your undergarments or swimsuit. You can also wear shorter athletic shorts so you can lift your shorts up, or be in your undergarments as we wrap your thighs, abdomen, and arms with the Contour Light red light therapy body sculpting wraps.  A modesty towel will be provided for your privacy and for our staff—so please use it. Members are expected to have undergarments or a swimsuit on at all times. Last, we will place eye protection goggles or black sunglasses over your eyes and place the face and chest hood over your face and neck area. 

Avoid, makeup, lotions or cremes as they can block the light waves from penetrating your skin. 

Bring a gym bag, or any sort of tote bag to place your belongings in as you sculpt your body and workout on the gym floor.  

Yes, please do if you are coming for physical therapy sessions. Although we can request these from your doctor or lab facility, it is better if you provide them for us during your first visit so that we can perform a more complete and accurate evaluation.
You will also be asked to fill out some basic paperwork, so don’t forget to bring your prescription for physical therapy if you have one. 

We perform many different types of treatments unique to the Reno, Nevada area, and will customize a program combining the best techniques specific for your particular symptoms. The techniques we use include Class IV Laser Therapy Photobiomodulation, Red Light Therapy Photobiomodulation, Transcranial and Intranasal Red Light Therapy Photobiomodulation, Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), Active Release Technique® (ART®) soft tissue mobilization, Graston Technique® soft tissue mobilization, The Mulligan Concept™ of joint mobilizations with movement™ (MWM), kinesiotape for adult and pediatric populations, techniques for golf rehabilitation as the only certified expert Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Golf Medical Professional in the Reno area, Post Acute Covid-19 Exercise and Rehabilitation (PACER) programs, Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) therapy, Parkinson Wellness Recovery through LSVT BIG® and PWR!Moves®, Functional Dry Needling (FDN) with and without electrical stimulation, and strengthening with a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). The treatment program will be performed in a private treatment room as well as a gym setting using a variety of rehabilitation equipment. 

 No! Nevada state has “direct access,” which means you can come to Pinecone Physio for a diagnosis and treatment of any movement disorder without seeing a medical doctor first.* (Woo!) 

 * Medicare patients — this doesn’t apply to you. Sorry about that. You do need a prescription! 

To be crystal clear, direct access doesn’t guarantee you will be reimbursed if you are planning on using insurance. 

If using insurance for payment, keep in mind even though Nevada doesn't require a prescription, some insurances do. 

Because we focus on rehabilitation as well as performance enhancement for adults and pediatric patients, we have a pediatric and adult gym on the premises, including a variety of equipment intended solely for rehabilitation. 

During physical therapy sessions at Pinecone Physio, you will always see the same physical therapist that you start with. You will not work with assistants, technicians, or aides.  You will work one-on-one with a skilled, licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy who cares about ALL of you and what you’re there to accomplish. Your therapist will take the time needed to diagnose the underlying cause of your movement problem, correct it and make sure you understand how to be your own advocate when you’re not in the clinic. That takes expertise and individual attention. We are able to spend the time evaluating your entire body and customizing treatments just for you.    

Usually your initial visit will last over 1 hour (usually 75-90 minutes) since the therapist will need to evaluate your condition, provide treatment, and give home instructions. Following visits may last from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on your injury and level of activity. 

We can’t answer that question definitively until you come in for your initial evaluation because each person is unique. Most treatment plans include 2-3 visits per week, for 4-10 weeks with regular follow ups, but this will vary based on your unique condition and abilities. We will get you in for your initial evaluation ASAP, and offer early morning and late evening appointments to accommodate your schedule. Rest assured, we are really good at what we do and assure you we will get you back to doing whatever it is you love as soon as safely possible.  

You can view a current list of "in-network" insurance plans for Pinecone Physio and additional information about paying for physical therapy with insurance by clicking here.

Pinecone Physio is currently an "in-network" provider for some insurance plans, and "out -of-network" for other insurance plans.

You can still see us as an "out-of-network" provider, but make sure to check your  out-of-network benefits.  

For all patients that self-pay or would like to see us as an out-of-network provider, it works like this:

We confirm with you how much your session will cost. Discounts are provided for several organizations, professions, volunteers, and community heroes.

We collect the cost of the full session from you at the time of service.  

We provide you with a “superbill” receipt that you can use to submit to your insurance company upon request. Pending your out of network coverage, your insurance company will reimburse you directly for services. To be perfectly clear, every insurance company’s reimbursement rates are different and may be less than Pinecone Physio's rates. 

Please note, there are several services offered at Pinecone Physio that are not covered by insurance, even "in-network" insurance plans.

We understand that insurance plans and payment for healthcare services could not be more confusing. To understand insurance, it feels like you have to learn an entirely new language. Not to mention, most healthcare bills are entirely unpredictable. We would like to remind you it is your responsibility to understand your insurance plan, but we will also try to help along the way. Here are some terms you should know:

Premium:  This is the amount you pay for health insurance each month. 

Deductible:  This is the total amount you pay for health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay. 

Co-pay:  This is the fixed amount you pay out of pocket for covered services. Your co-payment for physical therapy it is usually associated with a "specialist office visit" and your insurance plan may also require you to pay co-insurance in addition to your co-payment. Be aware that co-payments typically do not count towards your deductible, but they do usually count towards your out of pocket maximum. 

Co-insurance:  This is the percentage amount of a covered service you pay, separate from any co-payment or deductible from your insurance plan. It is common for insurance plans to require you pay 20% and they pay 80% of the allowed medical expense. This is usually something you need to pay in addition to any co-payment or deductible payments.    

Out of pocket maximum:  The maximum amount you pay toward your covered services in a year. This usually includes deductibles, co-payments, and co-insurance, but does not include your premiums.  

Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): These are ways to save on qualified medical costs by using pre-tax money. If you leave your job, funds in your FSA may be forfeited, while any funds in an HSA are yours to keep. Sometimes these funds expire at the end of the year, so don't let it go to waste! 

In-Network Provider: The term "in-network" refers to health care providers who are a part of your insurance plan’s network of providers. Usually, your insurance plan has negotiated a discount with these providers. This means providers who are in-network provide services at a lower cost to your insurance company. While this is very effective at controlling the cost of care, it can come with consequences to the patient such as shorter appointment times and your doctor managing a higher patient volume.

Out-of-network Provider: The term  "out-of-network" refers to health care providers who do not participate in your insurance company's rules and regulations. This does not mean these providers are not covered by insurance. Most insurance companies provide you with out-of-network benefits which allows you to see providers in and/or out of your plan, but the provider is not bound by the insurance company’s rules and regulations. 

At Pinecone Physio, our goal is to simplify the overall experience of receiving high quality healthcare. Before ever booking a session with us, you will have full transparency in how much your session costs. Are we the cheapest option in town? Not always, but we offer some of the highest quality, most effective, most unique, and most convenient physical therapy choices in the Reno, Nevada market. 

The term "in-network" refers to health care providers who are a part of your insurance plan’s network of providers. Usually, your insurance plan has negotiated a discount with these providers. This means providers who are in-network provide services at a lower cost to your insurance company. While this is very effective at controlling the cost of care, it can come with consequences to the patient such as shorter appointment times and your doctor managing a higher patient volume.

The term  "out-of-network" refers to health care providers who do not participate in your insurance company's rules and regulations. This does not mean these providers are not covered by insurance. Most insurance companies provide you with out-of-network benefits which allows you to see providers in and/or out of your plan, but the provider is not bound by the insurance company’s rules and regulations.

It comes down to quality over quantity.  

Quality care is what will get you better, faster. As an out-of-network provider with some insurances, we are choosing to see fewer patients in a day in order to ensure an extremely high level of attention and care to each patient.  Going out of network with certain insurance companies allows us to have more one on one time with our patients, resulting in you reaching your goals faster. Insurance companies don’t look at patient care the same way we do. They put providers like us through the ringer to become “in-network” which means receiving significantly less reimbursement for treatments. The only way to offset our operational costs is to see more people in a day... A LOT more. That leads to a “patient mill” style of physical therapy that doesn’t get people better, and undermines how we want to treat patients. We just can’t, and won’t, participate in that.  We take pride in doing what’s right for our patients instead of what’s right for a larger corporation or insurance company.  

We confirm with you how much your session will cost.

We collect the cost of the full session from you at the time of service.  

We provide you with a “superbill” receipt that you can use to submit to your insurance company. Pending your out of network coverage, your insurance company will reimburse you directly for services. To be perfectly clear, every insurance company’s reimbursement rates are different and may be less than Pinecone Physio's rates.

• Arrive 15 minutes prior to you scheduled appointment to check in.
• If being seen for physical therapy, bring all necessary insurance verification, physicians prescription if your insurance requires it for physical therapy, intake forms already filled out completely, list of medications, radiographs (MRI’s, X-rays), etc.
• Bring or wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and a pair of rubber soled sneakers.
• For red light therapy sessions, wear undergarments or a swimsuit underneath your clothing and bring a gym bag, or any sort of tote bag to place your belongings in as you sculpt your body and workout on the gym floor. Avoid, makeup, lotions or cremes as they can block the light waves from penetrating your skin.