PT, OT, and Speech Therapy FAQs

For most plans, no. Montana is a direct-access state, so you can book physical or occupational therapy without a physician referral. Medicare and Medicaid do require one — we’ll help you coordinate that with your doctor.

Book online through our scheduler, or call or text us at (406) 219-5388 and we’ll find a time that works. New patients are always welcome.

Usually within the same week — often within a day or two. If you’re in a lot of pain or working around a tight schedule, tell us when you call and we’ll do our best to get you in quickly.

Your first visit is a full 60-minute evaluation with your therapist: your history, a movement assessment, a hands-on exam, and a conversation about your goals. You’ll leave with a clear picture of what’s going on, a personalized plan, and usually a few exercises to start at home.

Wear comfortable clothes you can move in. Bring your photo ID and insurance card, and — if you have them — any relevant imaging reports or a referral from your doctor. That’s it.

Yes. Direct access means you can start with us directly. If we ever find something during your evaluation that needs a physician’s attention first, we’ll tell you honestly and help you get to the right provider.

We’re in-network with most major Montana plans: Medicare, Montana Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana (including Healthy Montana Kids), Allegiance, Cigna, First Choice Health Network (FCHN), Aetna, PacificSource, Mountain Health Co-op, Humana, TriWest (VA Community Care Network), and Tricare West. Not sure where your plan lands? Call or text (406) 219-5388 and we’ll verify your benefits before your first visit as a courtesy — please confirm coverage with your plan as well. You can always find the current list on our Insurance & Payment page.

Yes — we’re in-network with both Medicare and Montana Medicaid (including Healthy Montana Kids through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana). Medicare and Medicaid do require a physician referral, and we’ll help you coordinate that with your doctor.

Yes. We’re in-network with Tricare West and with TriWest through the VA Community Care Network, so active-duty families, military retirees, and veterans referred through the VA can be seen at Root. Call (406) 219-5388 and we’ll confirm the details for your specific coverage.

No — we’re out-of-network with United Healthcare. Many United patients still see us on our self-pay rate, and we provide a superbill you can submit to United for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

No problem. We offer competitive self-pay rates, and every session is fully one-on-one with your therapist — the whole appointment is treatment. We’ll always be upfront about cost before you start.

A superbill is an itemized receipt of your visit that you can submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement. We provide one whenever it’s helpful — just ask.

With insurance, you pay your plan’s usual copay or coinsurance — the best way to get an exact number is to call (406) 219-5388 and we’ll check your benefits for you as a courtesy (please confirm coverage with your plan as well). Self-pay rates are $250 for an initial evaluation, $175 for a 60-minute follow-up, and $131.25 for a 45-minute follow-up, with a written Good Faith Estimate provided at scheduling.

Yes — physical and occupational therapy are typically eligible expenses for HSA and FSA accounts. (Wellness classes like yoga and mat Pilates generally are not, since they aren’t medical treatment.)

Every session is fully one-on-one with your therapist — no aides, no being passed around. We’re a multidisciplinary team spanning physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and we focus on finding and treating the root cause rather than just chasing symptoms. That’s usually what makes the difference last.

Yes, whenever possible. Continuity matters — seeing the same therapist means someone who already knows your history, your goals, and how your body is responding, so every visit builds on the last.

It depends on what’s going on — recent injuries often settle faster than chronic pain or post-surgical recovery. Your therapist gives you a realistic estimate at your evaluation, along with the milestones they’re tracking, and you’ll revisit it together as you go.

Your first visit — the evaluation — is a full 60 minutes. Follow-up visits are one-on-one with your therapist and are scheduled around what your plan of care needs.

We work within your comfort. Some conditions involve a bit of discomfort as we restore movement or load tissue, but we’re not in the business of pushing you through pain — we go at a pace your body can handle and adjust as you respond.

Yes. A home program is a big part of getting a lasting result. We keep it realistic and matched to your life, and we make sure you’re confident doing it before you leave.

Physical therapy focuses on movement, strength, and mobility — joints, muscles, balance, and how you move. Occupational therapy focuses on doing the activities that make up your day — work, self-care, fine-motor tasks, and daily function. Many patients benefit from both, and because we have PTs and OTs under one roof, we can coordinate them seamlessly.

Your care is provided by licensed physical, occupational, and speech therapy clinicians. You can read about each of them on our team page.

A wide range — back and neck pain, sports and overuse injuries, post-surgical recovery, arthritis, concussions, dizziness and balance problems, chronic pain, TMJ and headaches, nerve pain, and more. See the full list on our conditions we treat page, or just call and describe what’s going on.

Yes. Through Root Pediatrics, we provide pediatric physical, occupational, speech, and feeding therapy — from infants and toddlers through school-age kids and teens. We also connect Montana families with birth-to-3 Early Intervention services.

Yes. We offer occupational therapy for adults and children, and speech-language (speech pathology) services for children through Root Pediatrics.

Yes — yoga and mat Pilates classes, open to everyone. These are wellness offerings, not medical treatment, so they’re a simple self-pay class rather than something billed to insurance. See the live schedule and book online from either class page.

For many conditions, physical therapy is an effective first-line option, and plenty of patients get better without injections or surgery. Every case is different, though — and if we believe you’d be better served by seeing a physician or surgeon, we’ll tell you honestly.

We’re at 1283 N 14th Ave, Suite 101, Bozeman, MT 59715, with on-site parking available.

Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can reach us at (406) 219-5388.

Life happens — just let us know as early as you can so we can offer your spot to someone who’s waiting. If you’re running a few minutes late, come anyway and we’ll make the most of your time; if it’s a lot, we may reschedule so you still get a full session.

We’re based in Bozeman and see patients from across the Gallatin Valley and beyond — including Belgrade, Manhattan, Four Corners, Three Forks, Big Sky, Livingston, and the Paradise and Shields Valleys.

Yes. We treat a lot of crash-related injuries — whiplash, neck and back pain, and concussion symptoms. Billing for auto injuries works a little differently than regular health insurance, so give us a call and we’ll help you sort out the right path before your first visit.

Yes. We treat work injuries and can coordinate with workers’ comp, including the documentation and structured return-to-work planning that these cases often need. Call and we’ll walk you through the details.