The focus first pt difference
If you’re reading this, you’re interested in working with us, but may have some questions about why we use a direct-pay model or why we don’t work with insurance.
Whether You Decide to Work With Us or Not, Let Us Explain Just A Few Things To Help You Make A Confident Decision
You may have said or thought these types of things:
"I’d rather use my insurance for physical therapy."
"That seems like a lot of money."
We totally understand where you’re coming from. The healthcare system, especially for athletes and active adults, is changing rapidly. With insurance companies cutting reimbursements to physical therapists, the quality of care patients receive has also been affected. On top of that, co-pays are at all-time highs and are only expected to rise.
But here’s the good news: working with an out-of-network provider like us can actually save you both money and time. Plus, it can lead to better results than sticking with a traditional, in-network clinic.
Why doesn’t focus first Pt accept insurance? And did you say that can actually save me money?
"I Want to Call My Insurance”
When people hear that we’re “out-of-network,” the first thing they often want to do is call their insurance to check their benefits. And we totally get it! But before you do, here’s some advice. If you're planning to dive into your physical therapy benefits, make sure you're gathering all the details. Typically, people ask, "Do I have out-of-network benefits?" And if the answer is “no” or “only after meeting your deductible,” they immediately assume staying in-network is their best option. But here's the thing—they still don’t know how much the "in-network" option will actually cost or how the quality compares. So, make sure you’re getting the full picture by using the checklists below.
What to ask your insurance agent:
Do I have an in-network physical therapy deductible? If so, how much will I have to pay out-of-pocket before you will help cover my in-network PT costs?
What is my in-network co-pay?
Do I have an out-of-network deductible? If so, how much is it?
What is the easiest way to submit a self-claim?
"I Want to Find a PROVIDER That Takes my Insurance"
It’s totally understandable to want to find a provider that works with your insurance. But we want to make sure you fully grasp the potential differences in cost and the quality of care you might get. Sometimes, in-network providers can actually cost as much (or even more) than going out-of-network—and you may end up with a less personalized experience or not get the result you’re looking for. So before you make any calls, use the checklist below to help you make a more informed decision when you're exploring your PT options!
-
Insurance companies often dictate or strongly influence the treatment you get at "in-network" clinics. At Focus First PT, we refuse to let that happen.
-
We are out-of-network because the traditional in-network business model doesn’t allow us to provide the high-quality care we’re committed to delivering.
What does that mean exactly?
Due to worsening reimbursement rates from insurance companies, therapists in in-network clinics are often required to see multiple patients in a single hour. They may also rely on assistants or technicians to do much of the patient care. A lot of the treatment focuses on modalities like heat packs or ultrasound, and patients end up spending most of their session doing exercises they could easily do at home. Plus, many of these clinics expect patients to attend 2-3 appointments a week.
At Focus First PT, we believe in hands-on, personalized care. We don’t think passive treatments like modalities are as effective as active, hands-on therapy. We also don’t believe you should pay to do exercises that you can do on your own. Instead, we offer one-on-one treatment from a Doctor of Physical Therapy for about an hour, and for most of our patients, one session per week is all that’s needed.
When you factor in the time you save from fewer visits to the clinic, and the fact that we help you resolve your issues much faster than average, the out-of-pocket expense at Focus First PT is a huge bargain.
-
Here at Focus First, sessions average 50-75 minutes of 1:1 time with your doctor of PT.
-
Here you will always have the same PT! And you’ll NEVER be treated by an aide or assistant.
-
Here it’s never more than once per week, and sometimes we are even able to spread sessions out, but that depends on the situation.
-
Here it averages 6-10 weeks but may be more depending on the specific case.
-
Here we always guarantee that you will always know exactly what you are paying for and will never be surprised with a bill.