PT: A Cost-Effective Solution for Pain

Navigating healthcare is no easy feat. Insurance complicates matters, meaning you have to research provider networks and other requirements. It’s often unclear what insurance covers and what it doesn’t, so you may wind up with an unexpected bill three months after your appointment. And that’s not even getting into the issue of medication access!

We get it. In fact, we’re just as frustrated as you are by the complexities of insurance companies. That’s why we want to make sure you know just how effective physical therapy can be at helping you reduce costs, particularly when it comes to pain management.

Consider the typical journey many people experience when trying to address pain:

• You injure yourself and make an appointment with your primary care physician, as your insurance requires referrals to see a specialist.
• They refer you to a specialist, who can’t see you for a month. In the meantime, you’re still suffering.
• The specialist prescribes expensive medication and suggests you may need surgery to repair the problem if it isn’t resolved.
• You’re still in pain!

At HealthQuest, we want to help you cut through the mess so you can feel better fast. If you’re struggling with musculoskeletal pain, you can skip most, if not all, of these steps by scheduling an appointment at our clinic first.

Furthermore, physical therapy is a cost-effective treatment option, so we can also help you save money in the long term.

Want more information? Our friendly staff will be happy to walk you through it!

Five Reasons Why Physical Therapy Can Save You Money

1. We take the time to evaluate. Most physicians only spend a few moments on your examination. We’ll spend between 30 and 60 minutes assessing your strength, mobility, balance, and more, ensuring we have a complete picture of your condition to provide optimal treatment.
2. We aim to treat the cause of your pain. Those in-depth assessments we love have another benefit: they help us know how to treat the cause of your pain rather than merely masking symptoms. We’ll pinpoint why you’re hurting so you can resolve the problem entirely — saving money in the long run.
3. We offer preventative techniques. Many musculoskeletal injuries develop over time due to repetitive motions, awkward postures, or a sedentary lifestyle. If you don’t address those background causes, you’ll likely injure yourself again. In addition to resolving a current injury, we’ll provide personalized techniques for preventing new ones.
4. We can help you avoid drug medications. Even setting aside potential side effects, pharmaceuticals are expensive! We offer drug-free pain management techniques such as manual therapy and therapeutic exercise that can provide both immediate and long-term relief.
5. We can help you avoid surgery. Orthopedic surgery is expensive and scary. And while there are situations where it’s unavoidable, many others are not. In fact, physical therapy is a frontline treatment for conditions like arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and mild to moderate soft tissue injuries.

Physical Therapy and Health Insurance

There’s no denying that physical therapy offers a wealth of benefits for those looking to save money. Unfortunately, health insurance adds another layer of complication. Insurance is generally complicated, and it doesn’t help that everyone’s plan is different.

Here are some common questions people have about physical therapy and health insurance. If yours isn’t answered, give us a call!

Do I need a doctor’s referral to access physical therapy? 

It depends on your provider. You’ll need to check your documentation to know for sure. You can also skip the process by utilizing our cash-based services.

What are cash-based services?

Physical therapy services in which you pay cash without using health insurance.  For many patients, cash-based physical therapy saves money in the long term, as we can provide more in-depth care and are not bound by insurance restrictions.

But you do take insurance if I need it, right?

Of course! You can see a complete list of providers on our website. Our staff is also happy to guide you on maximizing your health insurance based on your visit limits and a yearly deductible.

Don’t Let Healthcare Costs Get You Down

The team at HealthQuest wants to help you live a healthy, active lifestyle — no matter your budget. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for you.