Frequently Asked Questions at Rutherford Occupational Therapy

1. Introductory Call – a FREE phone call to determine if Rutherford Occupational Therapy can meet your needs.

2. Evaluation – Following receipt of a physician referral, an in-person evaluation will occur at your home. This may consist of assessment tools, formal and informal observations, as well as client or family report about your needs. You will also be provided with a written evaluation report that details the evaluation findings. 

3. Evaluation Review and Planning Meeting – We will meet in person or via telephone / zoom to review the results of the evaluation, determine a frequency with which we will have intervention sessions, and create goals together. 

4. Occupational Therapy Sessions – We will begin one-on-one occupational therapy intervention sessions to reach the goals we created together. 

We do not accept any insurance. We are considered to be an out of network provider for all of our clients for the sake of freedom. This allows clients to receive the services they need without the requirement of insurance’s approval. Also, it allows us to provide the most holistic care possible without insurance’s approval. 

We are a private pay provider only. We are legally unable to evaluate and treat clients for direct occupational therapy services who have Medicaid. It is against Medicaid law to accept private pay (cash, check, credit card, etc) for direct occupational therapy services because these services are typically covered under a Medicaid plan. This law is designed for the client’s protection. It prevents providers from charging clients private pay fees for services to which they are entitled (and are covered) by Medicaid. 

Please ask Dr. Rutherford about other services that we provide that may help you!

We require payment at the beginning of each session. We allow payment via check, cash, or Venmo. We provide each client with a Superbill that you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement (to you) for our services. If you are interested in this, please check with your insurance provider about Superbill reimbursement. We are happy to collaborate and support you in this!

By not accepting insurance for payment, Rutherford Occupational Therapy is able to provide the most holistic and client-centered care possible! Sometimes, insurance can limit the type of strategies or techniques occupational therapists can use, as well as the number of visits clients can receive. Also, sometimes, insurance is not knowledgeable about the most recent, research-based treatment approaches that can be utilized to support people's needs. Our practice model allows your needs as the client to completely drive the decisions surrounding your care – NOT your insurance provider’s rules. We believe in freedom of choice, not only for you as the client, but also for us as the provider!

Also, our practice model prevents you from receiving surprise bills or hidden fees that can come with a traditional insurance-based model. Clients know the full costs upfront for each session – no surprises!

Dr. Rutherford is a licensed occupational therapist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association. She also is a member of The Alliance of Trauma-Responsive Occupational Therapists.

Yes, you need a written script from your physician prior to beginning direct occupational therapy services. You can ask your physician to write “occupational therapy evaluation and treatment” on the script. We are happy to support you in this process.

In Pennsylvania, it is illegal for an occupational therapist to provide direct services to a client without authorization from a physician via a script. 

Yes, you must have an occupational therapy evaluation prior to starting intervention services. This ensures Dr. Rutherford has current and accurate information about your needs so she can make informed decisions about your care.