New year, new deductible. Maybe your plan changed at the start of 2022 or your deductible rose even higher. That, unfortunately, has been a trend lately.
If you find yourself in this situation, you might be temped to put off care altogether. We definitely don't recommend that. Delays in treatment often lead to bigger and more costly issues down the road.
If you decide to go ahead and see someone about those aches, pains, and injuries (good for you, that's the right move) you're probably looking around to see who takes yours insurance.
We'll let you in on a little secret though...
If you're going to go to PT and you have a high deductible plan, your money might be better spent going out-of-network for physical therapy.
It's true. Unfortunately, PT often falls under insurance deductibles instead of just having a copay or coinsurance like your doctor's office might have. There are a few plans here and there that are the exception, but by and large, physical therapy is only covered after your deductible is met. This means your paying 100% of the cost of PT until you meet that $1500, $3000, $5000 or even $10,000 deductible and you may not even know what that final cost is until your bill arrives in the mail, often a month or two down the road.
Now, that's just one part of the equation. The other part of it is the type of care you'll receive at an in-network vs out-of-network or cash based facility. Because taking insurance increases the overhead for the business, more patients have to be seen to keep the doors open.
The result? Physical therapists having to see more than 1 patient at a time, sometimes managing up to 4 patients at the same time. This means you get less time with the PT and more time spent on your own, on a bike, on a heat pack or with a tech/assistant. Because of the limited time with the PT, you'll end up needing to go to multiple sessions a week to see the PT. The standard of practice is to see patients 2-3 times a week for 4-6 weeks. That could be as many as 18 PT visits! And if you haven't met your deductible that cost will be... All. Out. Of. Pocket.
When you come to Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance (an out-of-network/cash based PT practice), your entire visit is completely 1 on 1 with your PT. We won't see any other patients during your session and we won't pass you off to a tech or assistant. This means you get more accomplished in a single visit, resulting in fewer visits overall. Most of our patients come one time a week and their total plan of care averages 5-6 visits. So not only is this about saving money, but also saving time.
The other benefit is that you will know the cost up front. Our visits are a flat rate that you'll know before you start treatment. You'll never receive a surprise bill for hundreds or thousands of dollars months down the road. Also, despite being out-of-network, you can still use your HSA or FSA funds at our facility.
At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we truly believe in transparency in healthcare, knowing the cost up front, and providing top notch care, giving you the most bang for your hard earned buck.
So if you're thinking about seeking treatment for any aches, pains, and injuries and you have a new deductible, think outside the box and go out-of-network. Come see the Nashville PT difference!