10 most frequently asked questions
- What is Julie’s approach to care?
- Does my private health insurance cover sessions with Julie?
- Do I need a prescription?
- What can I expect from my evaluation session?
- What can I expect from my follow-up sessions?
- How long is each session?
- How frequently will I attend sessions and for how long?
- Can I bring my baby?
- What forms of payment do you accept?
- Does Julie give massages, manual therapy, ultrasound, etc?
what is Julie’s approach to care?
Julie uses movement and fitness as medicine. Her collaborative approach has always focused on education and movement (brain and body) that you can independently carry over into your daily life and fitness. Her hands-off, external, and functional interventions are intended to build a therapeutic program that encourage adapting activities, instead of avoiding them. Using strategies integrated into your function, movements, and current fitness you can keep moving while you heal. Her goals are your goals, working together to pursue function, fitness, and performance without aches and pains, pelvic or abdominal health considerations, and pregnancy/postpartum challenges. Removing barriers for your return to your fitness or sport of choice is ultimate goal of each tailored program.
Please view the video blog series “The Fit Floor” 1-3 and read her blog “Fitness is the Path” to better understand Julie’s clinical approach.
Does my private health insurance cover sessions with Julie?
Julie Wiebe, PT, DPT is a licensed Physical Therapist. However, please be aware that Julie is not an in-network provider for any insurance carrier. Her services can be submitted for reimbursement as an out-of-network physical therapy provider. Your percentage of reimbursement is dependent on your policy. Please check with your health insurance carrier to determine the details of your coverage before starting treatment.
Payment is required at the time of service. Julie will provide an invoice (superbill) at the end of each session that you can submit to your insurance or medical savings plan to seek out-of-network reimbursement. Some insurance carriers have a cap on how many dollars they will reimburse or sessions they will allow. You are responsible for understanding your coverage for out-of-network providers. Please discuss with Julie if there are changes in your benefits status, or if you do not have a private benefit carrier.
***Julie is not a certified Medicare or Medicaid provider. The law is very clear. A non-Medicare certified physical therapists may not see Medicare or Medicaid patients. ***
Do I need a prescription?
The short answer is: No, not for the first 45 days! The long answer? Patients can seek the care and services of a California licensed Physical Therapist without a prescription (Direct Access). You may continue to receive direct physical therapy treatment services (in-person or via telehealth) for a period of up to 45 calendar days or 12 visits, whichever occurs first. After which time a physical therapist may continue providing you with physical therapy treatment services only after receiving a prescription from a licensed provider (MD, NP, DO, Podiatrist).
Julie Wiebe, PT, DPT utilizes a collaborative and consultative approach, seeking to integrate rehabilitative and adaptive concepts into your current function, movements, and fitness as an essential part of your treatment. This allows us to extend time between visits and optimizes outcomes. Visits tend to occur weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Thus, we often exceed the 45-day calendar limit ( versus the 12-visit limit). We have found that to avoid interruptions in the process, obtaining a prescription prior to starting care is best (but technically not required). Please consider having your medical provider fax us a prescription for physical therapy prior to our first meeting at (818) 332-4939.
What can I expect from my evaluation session?
This will be your opportunity to share your story and help fill in the rest of the picture painted by the information you provided pre-visit. Together, through collaborative conversation, we will connect the dots from your story, and the clues in your physical assessment with the issues you are experiencing. We will begin to build a tailored plan that will include rebuilding central control (‘core’ and pelvic floor), targeted exercises, education, adaptive movement and fitness strategies that you can implement immediately. Our goal is to find ways to get you or keep you moving out of the gate. Please wear exercise gear or loose fitting clothing.
Please view the video blog series “The Fit Floor” 1-3 and read her blog “Fitness is the Path” to better understand Julie’s clinical approach.
what can i expect from my follow-up sessions?
Follow-ups are scheduled weekly, bi-weekly or monthly depending on how well you are progressing through the program, how much practice you need, and how soon you will be ready for an exercise progression. Each session builds on the information and exercises learned at the previous session. We will monitor and modify the program as we integrate new strategies into meaningful function, movement, and fitness. You will be given homework at each session for you to work on until your next session. We will communicate and collaborate to keep working toward your movement and fitness goals. Removing barriers for your return to your fitness or sport of choice is ultimate goal of each tailored program. Follow-up appointments last 1-hour, unless an extended session is pre-scheduled.
How long is each session?
Evaluation and follow-up sessions are usually scheduled for 75-90 min, and 60 min respectively. If you are traveling at a distance to meet with Julie, limiting the frequency of visits, a pre-scheduled extended 2-hour sessions are recommended. If there are significant physical issues and complications extended sessions may also be recommended.
How frequently will I attend sessions and for how long?
Treatments are usually scheduled at weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly intervals. Each session builds on the previous session. How long you will require care will be an ongoing conversation between you and Julie. . Factors to be considered are the severity of your issues, your ability to be compliant with the exercises, and how well you can incorporate the information into your body. The goal is to create a targeted and tailored plan with good communication between patient and provider, to keep honing in on how best to get you over the finish line. With good compliance, consistency with follow-ups and understanding of the materials most women require about 6-8 sessions, spread over 2-6 months.
Can I bring my baby?
Yes! However, coming to sessions solo is preferred, simply because you can concentrate and the whole session can be spent working through the program. This is understandably not always possible for various reasons (such as nursing) and your baby is always welcome! Please be aware that if you bring your baby we may have to curtail the amount of work we can do within the session, which may extend the number of sessions you require. Patients are often scheduled back to back and sessions will need to end on time in order to honor the time of the next patient. You are responsible for the safety of your baby while on the premises.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Payment is due at the end of each session. This can occur in-person in the form of cash, check or credit card (American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover) or via the electronic medical record keeping portal you create when you fill out your intake forms. Julie Wiebe, PT is not an in-network provider for any insurance carrier, and does not provide direct billing to insurance carriers. You will be provided an invoice (superbill) at the end of each session that you may file with your insurance or medical savings plan for reimbursement. You are responsible for understanding your benefits for an out-of-network provider.
Does Julie give massages, manual therapy, ultrasound, etc?
No. Julie’s approach is education and exercise (brain and body) based care that will give you the understanding and tools to carry over into your daily life and fitness when she is not around. Her approach is to provide you with a fishing pole, rather than keep handing you fish. Self-care, independence and application of concepts into a regular, patient driven fitness program is the ultimate goal of the program.