How Much Does Physical Therapy Cost in Boise, Idaho?
Finding how much physical therapy costs in Boise, Idaho can be really difficult. Finding the cost of any medical service upfront seems like pulling teeth. Below I will cover the current prices of physical therapy in Boise and why it can be so difficult to find it.
If you’re reading this article I’m going to assume that you are looking for physical therapy. You are in pain or just had surgery and looking to rehab. Who do you see? Does all physical therapy cost the same? Does everyone provide the same treatment? These are all great questions that need to be answered before deciding which physical therapy clinic is right for you.
Does all physical therapy cost the same?
To answer the header above, no, not all physical therapy costs the same. Because this can be a complex situation when insurance is involved, I’ll run through a couple of scenarios to show why.
Scenario 1
Scenario 1: You have knee pain while running and you are looking for someone to help. You have a high-deductible insurance. What should you do?
Answer: If you go to a physical therapy clinic that accepts insurance, you are going to get charged around $330 for the evaluation. You may be given a couple of exercises to perform at home, a hot pad that you already use at home, and possibly some pain relief. Each subsequent visit will cost about $220. These clinics usually like to see you twice a week for 6 weeks. Doing the math, that’s $330 + $220 x 2(days) x 6(weeks)= $2,970
Woof. Now you have a $3,000 bill and a high possibility that you have not gotten better. Then comes the extra costs of your time and frustration. Let’s move on to the next scenario.
Scenario 2
Scenario 2: Two days ago you had a knee replacement and your deductible has been met. Now, you need physical therapy to help reduce swelling, improve range of motion, decrease pain, and get back to your life. After some searching, you find a clinic close to home that takes your insurance and you only need to pay your copay. The most often co-pay in Boise for this scenario is $40.
When a physical therapist sees your scenario, it can be almost predatory. They will try to max out your time and visits, which can be around 25-30 visits. So at $40 x (25 or 30 visits)=$1,000 to $1,200 + your time (25-30 hours). Normally, a knee replacement should take about 9-11 visits post-operatively, which would be more appropriately priced ($40 x (9 or 11 visits)= $360 to $440).
Scenario 3
Scenario 3: You bothered your back helping a friend from California move into their new home. You can barely move or stand up straight. You have great insurance and find a clinic that does not take insurance. However, they guarantee that you’ll feel 80% better within 5 visits or the rest of your visits are free. After an examination and you feeling 80-100% better during the first visit, you are told your diagnosis and prognosis (how long it takes to heal). You are told that it’ll take about 3 visits total. Since the clinic does not take insurance, they charge less, at $125 a visit. Based on your prognosis, you’re paying $375 ($125 x 3 visits =$375). Now, even if you didn’t get better in that time, you’re not paying more than 5 visits! $125 x (5 visits)=$625.
Not All Physical Therapy is Created Equal
Looking at all 3 scenarios, not all physical therapy in Boise costs the same. When insurance is used, the price ranges from $1,000 to $2,970. When insurance is not used, it does not exceed $625. This can be frustrating since insurance should help you pay less, not more. We know. That’s why we practice without billing insurance. We guarantee our work. We try to get you better as fast as possible. And we have the results to prove it. We average 2.75 visits per patient. That means at 3 visits, you’re looking at $375- total. Not only does this mean you’re paying less, but you’re getting better faster- and back to the things you love most.
Value vs. Cost of Physical Therapy in Boise
Sometimes, paying the cheapest doesn’t mean you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck- especially when it comes to your health. Clinics that use insurance usually have a very high overhead which leads to therapists seeing multiple patients at one time to cover the high costs. If that’s the case, you’ll be accompanied by an aide with a high school degree demonstrating exercises to you without proper critique. This is similar to a surgeon handing off the closure of the surgery to a CNA (with a bit less risk). Both should not be done because they are not trained or licensed to perform such activities. Instead, you want your care completely handled by someone who is certified, licensed and is legally allowed to perform physical therapy. Beyond that, you want someone who gets you better faster. That is true value.
Conclusion-
As stated in the scenarios above, the cost of physical therapy in Boise can vary from $40-$330 a visit and $375-$2970 for total care. We believe you should consider the three scenarios to know where you fit for physical therapy. If you’re looking for the best value, we recommend clicking HERE to schedule an appointment.