Question 1

How is Brain Body Synergy different from other types of physical therapy?

Accepted Answer

Brain Body Synergy’s mission is to help people better understand their bodies, in order to enable them to take better care of their bodies.

Alyssa is an experienced and dedicated practitioner who is passionate about helping you reach your body’s full potential.  She is comprehensive in her approach, and takes the time to fully assess, interpret, and implement a plan that will most benefit the individual you are. Alyssa understands that your current situation, goals and needs are ever changing, and adapts your plan as needed to provide you with the knowledge and tools to live the physical life you want. 
 
Alyssa utilizes her background in neuroscience to teach people how intricately the nervous system works with all of our body’s systems, affecting not only cognitive function and emotion, but also how our muscles, joints, fascia, immune system, and gut function. Because our nervous system is one of our most adaptive and dynamic systems, we have the ability to tap into it to continuously learn and grow. Alyssa will teach you how to use this brain body synergy to improve self-awareness and performance. 
 
Through her study of the martial arts, Alyssa has gained a deeper understanding of the connection between the mind and the body, which, in part, inspired her to become a physical therapist. It also sparked her drive to educate others about the amazing potential you have when your brain and body work together.   
 
At Brain Body Synergy, Alyssa will assess you as the whole person that you are, taking into account not only your many different body parts, but also the past and present factors that got you to where you are now, and where you want to go in the future.  Through education, manual therapy, exercise and movement instruction, Alyssa will empower you with long-term solutions to prevent recurrence of injury and keep you moving well – so you can do the things you want to do!

Question 2

Who can benefit from Brain Body Synergy?

Accepted Answer

Anyone seeking to grow or make changes in their performance and health can benefit from working with Alyssa at Brain Body Synergy.  
 
This list is not inclusive, but some signals that you may benefit from working with Alyssa are: 
 
You have an acute injury or physical ailment that is impacting your daily activities 
You have been struggling with a subacute or chronic condition or pain, perhaps that has not improved from previous types of therapy 
You would like to be more active, fit, and healthy – perhaps for that favorite sport or hobby 
You are not sure if your current exercise regimen is right for you – e.g. fully taking into account your medical and physical history

Question 3

What happens in the first session?

Accepted Answer

In your first session with Alyssa, she will perform an initial evaluation, which may include but is not limited to assessment of: 
 
Strength 
Flexibility 
Core stability 
Soft tissue and joint mobility 
Posture 
Gait 
Balance 
Functional movement patterns 
 
Additionally, Alyssa will ask questions regarding your lifestyle, activity level, and any current physical limitations, in order to gain further insight into how the relationship between them is impacting your current physical condition.  
 
Alyssa will discuss her findings and initial assessment with you as the session progresses, as well as your goals and a proposed plan of care.  The initial session is one to two hours long, depending on the complexity of your condition and the level of depth you desire in your plan.

Question 4

How long and frequently are visits? For how long should I expect to receive therapy?

Accepted Answer

Visits are typically an hour (after the first visit) and are typically weekly. These variables will be defined by your treatment needs and may change over time. 
 
The duration of treatment will entirely depend on your starting place and goals. Because Brain Body Synergy does not participate with insurance (see Advantages of Self-Pay), you are able to come for as many visits as you deem appropriate. Alyssa will educate you on timelines for various stages of healing and progress, as well as her recommendations for your plan of care, but it is entirely up to you how long you want to work with her. Some patients come for an acute injury and elect to be discharged to their home exercise program once the issue is resolved, and others want to continue to work with Alyssa over a longer period of time for ongoing assessment and progression, or for increased supervision and guidance.

Question 5

How is therapy delivered?

Accepted Answer

Therapy is specifically tailored to your personalized needs and goals based on the objective results and ongoing discussion from your initial assessment. Sessions include a combination of manual therapy, exercise & movement instruction, and education specific to your objectives. Alyssa will periodically re-assess you to measure your progress and that your goals are being met.  
 
Therapy is delivered primarily in the Brain Body Synergy studio in Maynard. For specific purposes, telehealth visits may suffice.

Question 6

How can I determine if Brain Body Synergy is right for me?

Accepted Answer

Alyssa offers a complimentary 15-minute introductory call to discuss your current situation and goals for therapy. This will help determine if Brain Body Synergy is a good fit for you.

Question 7

Do you take insurance?

Accepted Answer

In order to best serve patients in the way they need, Brain Body Synergy does not participate with insurance.  
 
Please see “Advantages of Self-Pay” below for more information. 
 
Highlights include: 
No limitation of care 
Comparable fees 
No visit limits 
You don’t need a referral 
Timely treatment 
My time is dedicated to you

Question 8

Advantages of Self-Pay

Accepted Answer

Brain Body Synergy does not bill through insurance; patients are charged directly for treatment. 
 
Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting more than 50% of the US population. One of the most common reasons for seeking medical care is a musculoskeletal condition – about 85% of people with musculoskeletal conditions have at least one visit with a primary care provider and average 6 visits a year. However, research has shown that physical therapists have higher levels of knowledge than primary care providers in managing musculoskeletal conditions.
 
No limitation of care: Insurance companies determine what conditions are covered - some only cover a diagnosis once per lifetime. Any condition that is not deemed medically necessary is usually not covered by insurance. Many insurance companies do not cover more than one body part/diagnosis at a time. This means that even though you may have two or more areas that are bothering you, or a new issue arises during your current treatment, insurance will not cover treatment for it until you complete your plan of care for the first diagnosis. Most insurance companies also do not cover preventative or maintenance care, which is a very important part of patients’ continued progress and ability to adhere to a home program. Working with Alyssa at Brain Body Synergy through self-pay, we can determine a plan of care that encompasses the range of things you want to work on and for how long – some people just need help getting started; others benefit from continued guidance as they progress along their path. 
 
Comparable fees: It may seem like insurance-based services make physical therapy (PT) “free”, or “cheap”; however, many people have co-pays and/or deductibles to meet before services are covered. Patient co-pays can be as high as $75 per visit, which quickly adds up at 1-2 visits per week. Additionally, PT visits range in cost depending on the facility and insurance type. Thus, it can often be difficult to predict the total cost of PT when calculating/managing your deductible.  
 
No visit limits: Patients are subjected to arbitrary visit limits per year by health insurance companies, which do not account for initial diagnosis or severity, complications, and variability in patients’ progress. Working with Alyssa at Brain Body Synergy through self-pay, you can have as many visits as we deem beneficial based on your goals. 
 
You don’t need a referral: Although Massachusetts is a Direct Access State, meaning people do not need a doctor’s referral to see a physical therapist, insurance companies do require a referral to pay for services, which often times is not medically necessary and requires increased time for patients to obtain the referral. At Brain Body Synergy, you do not need a physical therapy referral or prescription. 
 
My time is dedicated to you: Increased documentation requirements by insurance companies leads to significantly increased time required for not only documenting services but billing and submitting claims which decreases availability for patient care. Additionally, you will be working with Alyssa one on one the entire time. 
 
Timely treatment: There are often long wait times to see a physical therapist at most facilities that require insurance, which can sometimes result in worsening of the condition. Alyssa will work with you to see you within 2-3 days of contact so that we can get you on the road to recovery. 
 
I want the focus of treatment to be the patient.

Question 9

I have Medicare – am I able to work with Brain Body Synergy?

Accepted Answer

The short answer is, it depends.

The real question is: Is it medically necessary?

If you are a Medicare patient (beneficiary), you are required to work with a Medicare-contracted provider for any condition deemed medically necessary. This means you are not allowed to pay cash/privately for physical therapy for a medically necessary condition.

Fitness, wellness, & certain types of preventative care are not covered by Medicare. Therefore if you are interested in fitness, wellness, and/or preventative services, Brain Body Synergy is the place for you!

While physical therapy uses interventions designed to return patients to a meaningful functional level caused by injuries & illness, wellness, on the other hand, promotes or maintains physical fitness and mobility, but does not treat or correct a medical condition.

Examples of medically necessary conditions include: 
·      Acute injury or hospitalization
·      New onset of pain or functional limitation

Examples of fitness & wellness services include:
·      Programs to improve or maintain general strength, conditioning, and flexibility.
·      Working with a patient who has reached their physical therapy goals and is motivated and interested in pursuing exercise on their own – this includes getting back to hobbies, sports & recreation
·      Providing continued supervision & guidance for a patient who has reached a plateau in physical therapy and further visits cannot be justified.
·      Continued work with a patient whose insurance benefits are exhausted before reaching the desired level of physical improvement, but who is ready and willing to continue with independent exercise on a cash basis.

See below for details regarding what is considered medically necessary.

Defining Medical Necessity for Physical Therapy
To help both physical therapists and payers better understand and apply the concept of medical necessity as it relates to therapy services, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) adopted the Defining Medically Necessary Physical Therapy Services position in 2011. According to this statement, “physical therapy is considered medically necessary as determined by the licensed physical therapist based on the results of a physical therapy evaluation and when provided for the purpose of preventing, minimizing, or eliminating impairments, activity limitations, or participation restrictions.” Furthermore, therapy treatment is considered medically necessary “if the type, amount, and duration of services outlined in the plan of care increase the likelihood of meeting one or more of these stated goals: to improve function, minimize loss of function, or decrease risk of injury and disease.”

Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage 
In order to accept cash for non-medically necessary covered services delivered to a Medicare patient, the patient must sign an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) before collection of payment. By signing this form, the patient is acknowledging and accepting financial responsibility for the cost of the services to be provided.

Frequently asked questions