I’m often asked why I chose to work out-of-network and not just simply dive into taking insurance like everyone else.
I've done that.
I've argued and battled with insurance companies to give their clients/my patients more visits, only to be denied after the patient has been seen 4-6 times...been told that a client "is not improving fast enough, so we're going to discharge them" by insurers...had clients have surgery and then be denied visits by their insurance company because the insurance company "does not feel that Physical Therapy after surgery is medically necessary."
The list goes on.
Physical Therapists have a skill set and a level of knowledge that literally saves millions of dollars in unnecessary surgery, injections, drug prescriptions, imaging, etc. every year. We can take clients with all sorts of ailments (i.e. chronic low back pain, compressed nerves, total joint replacements, fractures) and get them back to their previous lives or return them in better shape than they were prior to their injury.
**Interesting statistic time!**
When comparing the diagnostic accuracy between Physical Therapists, Orthopedic Surgeons and Non-Orthopedic Providers (Primary Care Physicians, LNP, PA, etc.), the surgeons barely edge out Physical Therapists by a measly 6.3% (80.8% vs. 74.5%) and we don't have access to all the imaging equipment!
The Non-Ortho Providers? 35.4% accuracy
Unfortunately, the general public views their copay (whatever it may be) as the standard value of what an hour of Physical Therapy is worth.
Co-pays can vary heavily ranging anywhere from $6 (Starbucks) to $150+ per visit.
For perspective, a CPA in Atlanta can earn $150/hour filing your taxes.
We're talking fixing. your. body.
In the event this person needs to be seen more than 5-6 times, the high end of that cost spectrum becomes financially burdensome while the other end of that cost spectrum elicits a perceived lack of value because it is so cheap.
If a client using insurance needs to be seen more than 5-6 times (which is most often the case) a high dollar copay is going to result in a high price tag very quickly. Couple this high price tag with sharing your Physical Therapist with 2-4 other clients during your appointment time and you have a very high sticker price stuck to some sub par, minimalist treatment.
But hey, that's the insurance model.
Insurers reimburse poorly so clinics offset that loss by increasing the volume of patients during a given hour resulting in you, the patient, suffering.
As a patient/client, VALUE YOUR TIME.
If you're taking time out of your schedule to work on improving a new or chronic issue, optimize the time spent with your provider.
Consider the time spent going to a typical Physical Therapy office.
You spend 30 minutes in the car for a 60 minute visit to then only spend 15 minutes with the PT (that's generous) only to be handed a list of exercises to perform unsupervised for the remaining 45 minutes and then get back in the car for another 30 minutes?
That’s 2 hours of your time spent on 15 minutes of treatment with the therapist.
What's an hour of your day worth?
Consider the value of that hour spent driving...things you could be doing instead of spending time in the car, like working/making money, spending more time with your family or simply NOT being in the car dealing with traffic.
The chart below highlights why working with us has been preferable to so many people.
We'll save you time, money and get you back to 100% faster while showing you what real Physical Therapy is.