FAQs: General
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We chose the self-pay physical therapy model for one simple reason. You get better, faster.
When you remove all the all the red tape from insurance companies, every treatment plan Dr. Hershberger prescribes can be delivered with the quickest, most direct route to meeting and exceeding your goals, not the route your insurance company dictates.
In our experience, many clients actually spend less with our self-pay model than past experiences with insurance-based PT because the care they receive produces better results, in less visits.
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Absolutely. All services are billed as a flat, per visit rate, so there’s no worries about surprise hidden costs.
For example, if Dr. Hersberger suggests adding a new treatment such as dry needling to your PT treatment plan, there would be no additional cost to your per visit rate.
Physical Therapy costs can be found here. All Personalized Exercise Programs costs are the same and can be found here.
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Absolutely. Although we are not in-network with any insurance companies, physical therapy patients have the option to receive a super bill. You may then submit the superbill to your insurance for out of network services.
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Payment options include cash, credit, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and gift cards.
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No. Unfortunately, Medicare beneficiaries are locked into using Medicare benefits for their physical therapy and cannot choose a cash payment option. Medicare patients can receive services that Medicare does not cover, including wellness and preventative services. If you have Medicare and require physical therapy, we will gladly recommend alternative providers. Call for help deciding which type of treatment is best for your needs.
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No. The state of Ohio has direct access for physical therapy, meaning a physician’s referral is not required. Empower will refer you to a physician or other health care provider if medically necessary. Call to get started.
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We are happy to do a free phone consultation to determine the best fit for you. In a nutshell, physical therapy gets you back on your feet. Our three personalized exercise programs keep you on your feet, or better yet, get them running!
Here’s the basics to get you started:
Physical therapy is best when you need skilled assessment and problem solving to help restore your function. Examples include figuring out why you are dizzy, how to reduce your falls or how to get rid of pain.
Our exercise programs are perfect way to keep the momentum rolling after you are discharged from physical therapy or jump right in and start building momentum.
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Both 8 and 15-visit personal training packages last one year from the date of purchase.
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Gift cards can be purchased online through our client portal here. Whether you want to treat yourself or a loved one, you can purchase a gift card and receive a code to share with the lucky gift recipient. Note: The purchaser will have to create a profile, even if they are not an Empower client.
To prevent misplacement of gift cards, we offer virtual gift certificates which are tracked via our portal. If you prefer a paper certificate, let us know and we’ll email one right over.
FAQs: Parkinson’s
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The benefits of exercise can be thought of in two categories:
Neuroprotection: Protecting your brain against future degeneration
Neuroplasticity: forming new connections around the areas of the brain that are impacted by Parkinson’s. Imagine disconnecting the damaged wires in your brain and reconnecting with new wires to make different pathways. These new paths help you to feel and function better each day.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), is a protein in your brain that promotes both neuroprotection and neuroplasticity. Think of BDNF as a fertilizer for the brain. The levels of BDNF are reduced in many neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s. Exercise helps “fill up your BDNF” tank, resulting in better neuroprotection and neuroplasticity.
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There are 7 elements to exercising effectively for Parkinson’s. These concepts are the foundations of PWR! training but can be applied to any exercise.
Big & Powerful
Physically Challenging
Mentally Challenging
Progressive (it should advance over time)
Fun
Consistent
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Even when exercise is “Parkinson’s specific,” we see the most impact when your movement medicine is personalized to your symptoms, fitness level and goals.
Just as your doctor prescribes different medicines for different problems, the same concept applies to your movement medicine. Specificity matters. Exercise to improve walking looks different than exercise to improve posture which looks different than exercise to improve balance.
A similar concept applies to exercise dosage. Just as doctors prescribe medication dosages individually, for long term brain protection, achieving a consistent, moderate to high intensity dosage is key for brain health. Moderate intensity exercise for you looks different than moderate intensity for your neighbor. The same exercise may be low intensity for you but high intensity for someone else.
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People who start exercising earlier experience a significantly slower decline in quality of life than those who start later.
Each year, more studies support the power of exercise to slow disease progression. Exercise is essential for people with Parkinson’s because it is neuroprotective, meaning it protects the nerves cells in your brain at risk for degeneration. In other words, exercise builds up your reserves, or strengthens, your most vulnerable cells before they experience damage.
Think of your exercise program as a long-term investment in your future. By building up your strength, balance, power and endurance reserves now, it will be much easier to benefit from your investment when you need it, compared to waiting to invest until the last minute.
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First of all, congratulations! You are well on your way to protecting your brain and building up your reserves. That’s a huge advantage worth celebrating.
Yes! While any exercise is a good thing, not all exercise is created equal when it comes to protecting your brain. What you do and how you do to it matters.
You are already putting in the work. Now it’s time to elevate your program by making it Parkson’s specific, personalizing it to your symptoms and filling any gaps in your armor.
Exercise is the one thing thought to slow disease progression. Let’s make sure the exercise you are already doing is as potent as possible.