Maybe you've heard of it and maybe you haven't, but out-of-network or fee-for-service healthcare is here and worth a closer look.
'But, wait!' You say. 'I have good insurance! Why would I even consider going to an out-of-network provider for physical therapy?'
Here are 5 reasons why.
One-on-one care
Due to the decreasing rates of reimbursement from insurance companies (despite the cost of your premiums going up with higher deductibles and co-pays), many in-network physical therapy clinics have been forced to schedule multiple patients per provider in a single treatment time.
If you feel like the last time you went in for PT to a big clinic that you were left pretty much on your own to do the same exercises that the PT gave you on your
first visit with barely any interaction with your PT at all, this might be why.
Out-of-network or fee-for-service physical therapy means that you will have a full hour of treatment with your doctor of physical therapy all to yourself. You want to ask questions related to your specific diagnosis, prognosis and what that means for YOU and YOUR goals? The time is yours with no interruptions.
2. No insurance limitations
It’s common for insurance companies to allot 6 PT visits per patient for one year. That can easily be taken up to rehab one injured joint (if even that!). If you find yourself with another injury later in that year, you may be facing a lengthy appeals process that will prolong the time it will take before you can get your care started.
Imagine hurting your shoulder at practice and being able to text your PT then and there to get in the following day and get rehabilitation started within that same week.
3. Open communication
We often hear that one of our clients had an appointment with a PT elsewhere, but every follow up visit after the first one was with a different clinician, or that they had questions but weren't sure how to reach their PT to ask them.
Schedule with your out-of-network PT and you can expect that you'll have their direct email address as well as a way to contact them. Their caseload is smaller and they'll be better able to stay in contact with you and answer all of your questions.
4. Preventative care, wellness, and recovery
With no limitations from your insurance company, you can come in for progressions or check ups to be sure you're still on the track to recovery and able to continue doing what you love to do!
Wouldn't it be nice to know that you're still progressing and getting stronger in the way that you should be once you don't have to go in for regular visits anymore?
The other complaint that we often hear with the traditional physical therapy model is that when a person's plan of care is wrapped up, they're done. Cut off. No progressions or accountability available. There's no way to know if you're still on the right track days, weeks or months after you've been discharged. Often people stop doing their home exercises once they're feeling better, but then find themselves right back where they started with their original pain.
5. Know your exact costs
And finally, last but not least, you'll know the exact cost of the care that you're receiving.
It's not often that a consumer walks into a store and has no idea what services they'll be receiving at the point of service. It's even more uncommon that the consumer will receive that same service and then not be billed for it for months after the service has been completed.
Additionally, the billing statements that you get back from the insurance companies are often unclear and confusing - leaving you with more questions than answers. With out-of-network PT, you'll know exactly what you're paying for and how much it will be.
No one goes into healthcare looking to provide sub-par care, but unfortunately the system we currently operate in is broken and leaves patients hung out to dry with providers that are over-worked, understaffed, jaded and burnt out.
There is an option. Streamline Physical Therapy is a direct access, fee-for-service performance-based physical therapy clinic. We know that you have options in physical therapists and we serve to provide you with the best physical therapy experience you've ever had. Give us a call to see how we can help you!