Affordability of Physical Therapy

The purpose of this blog is to address the affordability of physical therapy for patrons. I am going to provide an informational view on how physical therapy impacts the insurance-based, non-insurance based, and general health care costs. This blog will also show the how physical therapy is a cheaper alternative solution to surgery.

As stated in my previous blog, reasons patrons may seek physical therapy could range from physical injuries or disabilities, emotional instability, or psychological issues. With all of those variables kept in mind, they require some form of payment. The costs tend to vary depending on the severity of the condition, insurance, hospital, the length required, and the organization providing the service.

Typically, the costs can range from as low as $10 per session to up to $75 dollars to those covered by insurance.3 Additionally, you may have to buy separate items associated with the treatment. For example, a PT may recommend ice/hot packs or other equipment in between sessions for enhanced treatment. “At Medical Supplies & Equipment Co., a balance board costs about $50-$100 or more, fitness and exercise balls cost about $20-$80 or more, resistance bands cost $10 to $100 or more and an exercise rail system or chest pulley weights can cost up to $800 or more.” 3

For those who are unfortunate enough to have insurance, the price of physical therapy is far greater. As a general benchmark, physical therapists typically average 3-4 procedures in a single visit costs around $100 per visit, as stated by Andrew Stark.4 On a side note, the price could vary as well depending on the effort you put in. Meaning, if you maximize your visits and get the most out of it, you typically finish rehabilitation sooner saving yourself money. According to Stark, you could drop from $400-$500 to under $200 per visit.4 According to Robert Glatter M.D., in many cases, physical therapy when applied to this select group of patients may help to avoid surgery along with its potential risks.2

In addition, surgery costs vary depending upon who similar variables as PT. It’s equally difficult trying to quantify the costs of a particular surgery, as total payments are often broken down into hospital expenses and post-acute care. For example, in 2005, the average total payment for back surgery in the United States was $26,515.1 But the difference between the lowest and highest payments for the procedure was $18,762.1

In conclusion, the cost of physical therapy ranges depending on several variables and the amount of effort applied. As you can see, physical therapy can be a cheaper and safer alternative to surgery. In my next blog I will discuss the training, certification, and organizations that are required or recommended to become a physical therapist.

References

1Fay, B. (2013, January 3). Hospital and Surgery Costs. Retrieved from Debt: America's Debt Help Organization: https://www.debt.org/medical/hospital-surgery-costs/

2Glatter, R. (2013, March 25). Physical Therapy: A Reasonable Alternative to Surgery for Patients with Meniscal Tears and Arthritis. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2013/03/25/physical-therapy-a-reasonable-alternative-to-surgery-for-patients-with-meniscal-tears-and-arthritis/#43af71f243a8

3Health, C. H. (2016, October 5). Physical Therapy Costs. Retrieved from How Much Does Physical Therapy Cost: http://health.costhelper.com/physical-therapist.html

4Stark, A. (2016, October 5). What is the Cost of Physical Therapy Without Insurance. Retrieved from Guide Doc: http://guidedoc.com/cost-of-physical-therapy-without-insurance