After a work injury, the injury itself is only half the battle. The other half is the weeks of follow-up care, and for most orthopedic injuries that means physical therapy two or three sessions a week for weeks or months. Missing PT appointments stalls recovery. But if the injury took your ability to drive, every one of those appointments becomes a transportation problem you did not ask for. This guide covers how recurring ride schedules work, what to have ready when you book, and the money question, honestly.
The PT Grind: Why Rides Matter
Workers' compensation physical therapy is not a couple of visits. Standard practice for orthopedic cases is two to three sessions a week for weeks at a time, plus follow-ups with the authorized treating physician and specialists. That is six or more one-way trips a week to the same clinic, on a repeating pattern. Driving yourself often is not possible: a lower-extremity injury makes it impossible, post-surgical restrictions can prohibit it, and prescription pain medication can make it unsafe. Some workers simply do not have a car. Under Georgia workers' comp, your employer must post a panel of at least six physicians, and you pick your authorized treating doctor from that panel. The practical upshot: treatment happens at a known set of clinics, so your rides go to the same destinations repeatedly, which is exactly what a standing schedule handles well.
How a Standing PT Ride Schedule Works
You do not book six rides a week. You set up one standing schedule: your PT days and times, your clinic name and address, and your mobility level. From then on, the rides repeat automatically every week. The return works two ways: a scheduled return at an agreed time, or a will-call when the session wraps up. PT schedules change, so one call updates the whole pattern. There is a defined end date: maximum medical improvement or return to work. The standing schedule runs until your treatment ends, and then it stops.
What to Have Ready When You Book
Have this ready when you call: your PT clinic name and street address; your appointment days and times; your mobility level and whether it may change as you recover; a contact number for you or the family member coordinating; your return preference; and any access notes like stairs, a gate code, oxygen, or a brace that needs extra room. If a family member, attorney, or employer HR is setting it up, add your name and the claim basics.
The Money Question: What Georgia Workers' Comp Actually Says
SBWC Board Rule 203(d) says medical expenses include the reasonable cost of travel between your home and the place of examination, treatment, physical therapy, or pharmacy. The travel obligation sits with the employer and insurer. The established path is mileage: 45 cents per mile for travel on or after July 1, 2023, reimbursed within 15 days of the employer or insurer receiving your itemized written request. That is settled. The careful part: some Georgia workers' comp attorneys interpret the reasonable-cost language to support a medical transportation company when a worker has no other way to reach an authorized appointment. That is attorney interpretation, not Board precedent, and we have found no Georgia decision ordering an insurer to pay a third-party NEMT vendor for routine PT rides. Confirm with your attorney or adjuster before you book.
Keep Every Receipt and a Log
Documentation is what makes reimbursement work. From the first ride, keep every receipt, including ours, which are itemized with date, pickup, destination, and fare. Keep a simple log: date, appointment time, clinic name, and actual pickup and drop-off times. Keep your PT attendance records, since showing up to every session protects both your recovery and your claim. If your attorney coordinates transport, send them the receipts and log. If you handle it yourself, the itemized written request triggers the 15-day reimbursement clock under Rule 203.
The Honest Line About How We Get Paid
Atlanta Ride Care is private pay. We do not bill workers' compensation insurers, Medicaid, or Medicare directly. The worker or family pays us, and any reimbursement runs through the claim. We tell you up front because the alternative wastes your time: large national transportation vendors work directly with insurance carriers, and if your carrier routes through one, your case manager or adjuster will tell you. If you are on your own with no carrier vendor, no car, and PT three times a week, that is the gap we fill.
When the Employer or Attorney Is Coordinating
Sometimes the worker is not the one making the call. If you are an employer HR manager, safety coordinator, or workers' comp attorney, call us with the appointment schedule and clinic address. We confirm the standing schedule directly with the worker or their family. The worker gets a flat quote before each ride, and the receipts go to whoever needs them for the claim file. For attorneys with a no-car client whose PT attendance is at risk, a standing private-pay schedule with itemized receipts keeps them in treatment while the claim sorts out reimbursement.
Getting Started
PT after a work injury is a long road, and transportation should not be what makes you miss a session. One setup call covers every week of your PT course: same days, same times, same clinic, confirmed pickup. If your schedule changes or treatment ends, one call updates it. If you have questions about how the rides fit into your claim, ask your attorney or adjuster first, then call us to set up the schedule.