Ever wonder why cash based or private pay physical therapy is becoming so popular? After working in healthcare for close to 20 years, I can tell you the current insurance model is inherently flawed. Treatment interventions, number of visits, and duration of PT are often dictated by third-party companies, not the providers charged with your care.
Cost of outpatient physical therapy to the patient has steadily increased. This has increased out of pocket expenses like co-pays and deductibles while clinics struggle with decreasing reimbursement for services to the PT site. Therefore it has become advantageous for clinics to maximize the number of patients being seen per day. This can be done with shorter treatment times and/or double-booking as clinics struggle to keep volume high. These fundamental changes have led to a boom in cash based physical therapy options as patients seek more personalized care with bigger bang for their buck.
Surveys have noted that patient’s satisfaction was most associated with items that reflected a high-quality interaction with their therapist (eg, one on one time spent, adequate explanations and instructions to the patients).
In a cash-based physical therapy model, a flat-fee for services is paid, with that you receive uninterrupted individualized care for a predetermined length of time. Frequency of visits is often once per week and goals are often attained in less overall visits than if done within the clinic environment. PT’s and patients can once again have that quality interaction without the insurance constraints. Maybe it’s time for an alternative. Your health, wellness and time are valuable. At Within Reach Mobile Physical Therapy, you get all the benefits in the comfort of your own space. If you live or work in the Melrose area and this sounds like a good fit for you…reach out!