Occupational therapy sessions for adults in Philadelphia, PA
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What is occupational therapy (OT)?
How is occupational therapy different from physical therapy?
What types of conditions does occupational therapy treat at Farfalla Integrative Health?
Do you provide occupational therapy sessions for children and teenagers as well as adults?
Are visits done virtually or in-person?
Does it matter which state I live in for me to receive telehealth occupational therapy sessions?
Do I need a prescription for occupational therapy?
Do you accept health insurance?
Will you provide superbills if I plan to submit claims to my insurance company?
Can I use HSA or FSA funds to pay for occupational therapy?
How long is each occupational therapy session?
How much does each occupational therapy session cost?
How many sessions will I need?
What is occupational therapy?
What is occupational therapy (OT)?
Occupational therapy (OT) is a health profession that therapeutically uses everyday activities (occupations) to promote health and wellness, improve quality of life, and increase independence in life roles that matter to you.
Occupational therapy considers:
- You as a whole person: Your physical, mental, and emotional skills. Your interests, habits, values, and beliefs. Your view of the world and your place in it.
- Your environment: The physical spaces that you live, work, and play in. The objects and people in those spaces.
- Your occupations: ANY roles and activities you engage in during daily life (not just your job).
An occupational therapist can:
- analyze your daily routine and teach you how to modify the tasks you do or the way you do them so you can minimize pain, fatigue, cognitive overload, or overwhelming emotions and actually get things done
- assess your environment and correct for mismatches between your current abilities and external demands
- teach strategies that help you focus on your strengths while compensating for weaker areas
- improve your physical, cognitive, or emotional skillsets
- deliver body-based treatments to address physical symptoms
- provide cognitive and perceptual skills training during real-world tasks
- instruct you how to self-regulate your emotions and mindset within specific contexts
- design home programs to address imbalances in the body, regulate your nervous system, and promote skills development.
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How is occupational therapy different from physical therapy?
How is occupational therapy different from physical therapy?
Occupational therapy looks at a person’s ability to perform daily activities based on physical, cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors. OT takes a big-picture look at how a person is functioning and uses occupation-based interventions to improve function and quality of life.
Physical therapy primarily focuses on mobility, balance, strengthening, and physical exercise to promote wellness or recovery from an illness or injury.
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What types of conditions does occupational therapy treat?
What types of conditions does occupational therapy treat at Farfalla Integrative Health?
Common conditions treated include:
- Chronic/persistent pain
- Residual effects of cancer treatments
- Cancer survivorship concerns
- Long-COVID
- Mild traumatic brain injury
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Chronic fatigue
There are many other conditions that can be addressed by occupational therapy. However, some situations are not appropriate for telehealth services. (Examples: a person with a hand injury who needs custom splints, a person who had a recent stroke and needs extensive retraining to use their weak arm in a functional way.)
If you have a condition not in the above list and are interested in occupational therapy, please schedule a phone call or video chat so we can discuss your situation and make sure we can meet your needs.
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Do you provide occupational therapy for children and teenagers?
Do you provide occupational therapy sessions for children and teenagers?
Farfalla Integrative Health provides occupational therapy for adults. It may be possible to work with an older teenager in certain circumstances; please schedule a phone call or video chat so we can discuss your situation.
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Are visits done virtually or in-person?
Are visits done virtually or in-person?
Services are primarily provided virtually via telehealth at this time.
On-site visits (e.g., at your home or workplace) may be possible on a case-by-case basis. Depending on your location, additional travel fees may apply. We would discuss any applicable travel fees prior to scheduling. Please schedule a phone call or video chat if you are interested in an in-person session so we can discuss your situation.
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Does it matter which state I live in for telehealth occupational therapy?
Does it matter which state I live in for me to receive telehealth occupational therapy?
Yes it does. Federal law requires that therapists are licensed in the states where their clients live.
Farfalla Integrative Health can provide occupational therapy to residents of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
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Do I need a prescription for occupational therapy?
Do I need a prescription for occupational therapy?
Farfalla Integrative Health can provide occupational therapy to residents of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The laws governing prescription requirements differ in these states.
Pennsylvania:
- A prescription from your doctor is required for occupational therapy when treatment is related to a medical condition. (This includes mental health conditions.)
- The prescription requirement applies whether you plan to submit for insurance reimbursement or not.
New Jersey:
- No prescription is needed for occupational therapy.
- However, if you plan to submit for insurance reimbursement, your insurance company most likely will require a prescription from your doctor before you start occupational therapy. Please check with your insurance company before scheduling.
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Do you accept insurance?
Do you accept health insurance?
Farfalla Integrative Health does not contract with or bill insurance companies and is considered an out-of-network provider. This means that payment for services is required in full at the time of each session.
If you have Medicare or Medicaid:
- Because of current federal law restrictions, Farfalla Integrative Health cannot provide occupational therapy services to you even if you are willing to pay out of pocket. These restrictions will hopefully change in the coming year.
If you have private insurance (i.e., not Medicare or Medicaid):
- If you have out-of-network benefits on your insurance policy, you may be able to receive some reimbursement for out-of-network occupational therapy. There is no guarantee of reimbursement, and coverage is dependent upon your insurance plan. Contact your insurance company to discuss the details of your policy. This worksheet can help guide your conversation with the insurance company about what your policy covers.
- Full payment for services is required upfront even if you plan to submit to your insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement.
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Will you provide superbills?
Will you provide superbills if I plan to submit claims to my insurance company?
Yes. A superbill will be sent to you after each session takes place.
A superbill is a detailed receipt that includes your diagnosis code, treatment codes, billing charges, and the amount you paid for services. It is usually required for out-of-network reimbursement claims, although every plan is different. Contact your insurance company for information about its out-of-network reimbursement requirements.
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Can I use HSA or FSA funds to pay for occupational therapy?
Can I use HSA or FSA funds to pay for occupational therapy?
Yes. Occupational therapy services are eligible for reimbursement from health savings accounts (HSA) and flexible spending accounts (FSA).
A letter of medical necessity from your doctor may be needed for the expense to be covered. Check with the organization that manages your HSA or FSA for details.
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How long is each occupational therapy session?
How long is each occupational therapy session?
The initial evaluation takes about 75 minutes and may include some treatment if time allows. Each follow-up session lasts 50-60 minutes.
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How much does each occupational therapy session cost?
How much does each occupational therapy session cost?
The initial evaluation is $225. Each follow-up session is $160.
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How many sessions will I need?
How many sessions will I need?
Sometimes specific issues that are narrow in scope can be addressed in one or two sessions. Others require more time. Complex or long-standing issues typically require multiple sessions.
For chronic conditions, some people benefit from having multiple episodes of short-term intervention spaced out over several months. Alternately, some people do better by jump-starting the process with more frequent sessions compressed into a shorter timeframe.
There is no magic formula to determine how many sessions you’ll need or how often those sessions should take place. We’ll discuss your situation and, together, come up with a plan that works best for you.
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