Nobody wants to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for medical bills, but if you’ve ever gotten injured, you know how medical payments can pile up in a hurry. The good news is that in many cases, it doesn’t have to. For the right patient or for certain types of injuries, physical therapy sessions can end up getting you back to full health and saving you thousands of dollars in the long-run. In today’s blog, we explain how physical therapy can save you a lot of money on healthcare costs.
Saving Money With Physical Therapy
Here are a number of ways that you can save money in the short- and long-term by pursuing physical therapy.
- Skip The Doctor – Did you know that in most states in the US, you don’t need a referral from a physician in order to seek physical therapy for an injury? Minnesota is included on that list, and you can avoid paying for a doctor’s visit and physical therapy sessions if you just head to a PT’s office at the outset. For muscle strains, sprains or other soft tissue injuries, consider heading to a physical therapist’s office first.
- Insurance Approved – We can’t guarantee that every session will be fully covered, but insurance companies want patients to get better as soon as possible so they no longer have to make payments to healthcare facilities. Physical therapy is arguably the best active treatment modality for a wide variety of health issues, and it often leads to shorter recovery times and fewer long-term issues. Many insurance companies approve these sessions for partial or full coverage knowing that it will save them a lot of money in the long run. Odds are your therapy sessions will be cheaper than other passive treatment methods like injections or painkillers, which may only have a small amount covered by insurance.
- Avoid Surgery – Another costly expense in the healthcare world is surgery, even when insurance picks up a good portion of the bill. However, if you put in the time and effort during your physical therapy sessions, there’s a good chance that you will recover to the point that you don’t need surgery for your condition. You’re still going to have to do physical therapy after surgery, so you might as well put in the effort beforehand in order to avoid surgery and save a lot of money in the long run.
- Teaches Self-Care – A final way that physical therapist can help save you money in the long term is through education. If you have a chronic condition or something that flares up semi-regularly, we can teach you exercises or stretching routines to help calm the discomfort. Instead of running to the doctor every time your back acts up, you can apply what you’ve learned during your PT sessions and help tackle the issue on your own. Giving you the tools to manage your health issues on your own can significantly reduce the amount of money you spend on healthcare each year.
For more ways in which physical therapy can help save you money, or to set up an appointment with one of our specialists, reach out to the experienced team at OrthoRehab Specialists today.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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