Going to physical therapy can be extremely beneficial to those suffering from limited mobility, chronic pain, or an injury. A physical therapist can help rehabilitate your body, manage pain with science-based exercises and movements, and prevent future hardships – but how much does physical therapy cost?
Does insurance cover physical therapy?
In a short answer – yes. Most insurance providers will cover physical therapy (PT) treatments. As long as the physical therapy is medically needed, marketplace health insurance plans (or any qualified plan) are required to cover habilitative and rehabilitative services, and physical therapy falls under this category. Coverage amounts will vary for each plan and co-pays range from $20-$75 per visit. Co-insurance can cost an additional 10%-50%.
One thing to consider is that if you happen to have an unqualified health insurance plan that does not have minimum essential benefits, such as a short-term health plan, you’ll most likely be paying for the physical therapy out-of-pocket.
The average cost of PT without insurance
Health insurance is not required to see a physical therapist but it can be quite expensive if you are not covered. On average, you can expect to pay $50-$350 per physical therapy session. Of course, the price will vary depending on the therapist you’re seeing and the amount of treatment you’ll need to receive. A minor sports injury may only require a few visits, costing a couple hundred dollars while rehab after major surgery can cost thousands.
Keep in mind that some physical therapists charge in 15-minute increments – some even as high as $135. For one hour, you’re paying $540 for a session. Despite these high costs, some people would prefer to pay these amounts due to the fact that they are still less expensive than surgical procedures or pain management procedures.
Additional costs and things to consider
Whether you have insurance or not, there could be other additional costs to consider. For example, your physical therapist may request or require that you purchase specialized equipment for your home such as; exercise balls, hot or cold packs, walkers, or balancing boards. Exercise balls average around $20, hot and cold packs range from $5-$25, and a balance board costs between $25 to $100.
Another thing to consider is how many sessions you’ll realistically need to have and budget for. As mentioned earlier, the number of sessions will vary per person, however, the average is around 7-10 physical therapy sessions before results are seen. A study done by the American Physical Therapy Association found that patients with lower back pain were paying around $504 for four physical therapy sessions. To extrapolate, this would be roughly $882-$1,260 for 7-10 sessions.
How to keep physical therapy costs down
Regardless if you have health insurance, there are a few ways you can cut down on the costs of physical therapy. Cash payments, spending less time with your physical therapist, and staying in-network are all great ways to pay less for your PT sessions.
If you don’t have health insurance, negotiating cash payments might be an option for you. Since less administrative costs are associated with your therapy, you might be able to negotiate a discount or lower rate by paying cash at the time of treatment.
Another option is to talk to your physical therapist about figuring out a way to have fewer visits. You may be able to work out an in-home plan using pain therapy tools like TENS therapy devices, such as DR-HO'S® Pain Relief Systems, or mobility supplements.
If you do happen to have health coverage, your best bet is to stay in-network when it comes to choosing a physical therapist. They’ve already worked out negotiated rates with the insurance company and the savings will be passed on to you. Staying in-network is a good idea in general.
