Why does physiotherapy treatment cost what it does?
Your physiotherapy bill is a reflection of the costs of maintaining suitable facilities, equipment, and trained and experienced staff to provide the level of care that is expected in healthcare today.
The cost of physiotherapy care has actually risen very little during the last 20 to 30 years. There is very limited access to Physiotherapy services under the Australian Government’s Medicare system that was introduced in 1975. The rebate paid to Physiotherapists under Medicare’s enhanced primary care program has not increased in 10 years. However advancements in both research and technology have allowed us to offer you much better healthcare. When compared to the rising cost of medical health care, the cost of Physiotherapy care is not at all unreasonable.
Our methods are non-surgical and drug-free. We often save you money on expensive medical assessments, specialist consultancy fees, investigations and treatments including expensive medical investigations, medicines, and surgical procedures. When your problems relate to pain and compromised movement or dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system, Physiotherapist are true experts in this area. As primary contact practitioners since the 1970’s, our training and expertise is well established in the health care systems around the world.
If your total physiotherapy costs relate to repeat episodes of seemingly effective treatment for recurrent pain or a frequently returning problem, speak to your Physiotherapist about ‘fixing’ the underlying cause(s) of the problem to stop this costly cycle. Sometimes this will require a little more investment from you in terms of time, effort and money in the short term, but will usually save you in the long run. Remember this may be where some exercise is required to address underlying problems that may relate to your returning pain, including muscular weaknesses, imbalances or postural problems.
Allowing an acute pain episode or injury to descend into a chronic problem by not seeking appropriate advice and treatment early enough, will usually result in far greater pain, frustration, inconvenience, expense and even degeneration of your body parts [muscles, joints and tendons] in the longer term. In some instances, delayed action in seeking care may actually prevent full or complete resolution of you pain or problem and contribute to accelerated deterioration in your health.
Remember too that the cost of your private health insurance or your Medicare levy has no bearing on the cost of Physiotherapy services rendered. These relate to your level of income, Government decisions regarding fees, charges and taxes and the choices you make regarding the range of available insurance packages to help cover your personal health care costs. If you are uncertain about which
Although it may feel at times as if you are paying more for your physiotherapy care than your medical care, chances are you may be used to Medicare rebates, prescribed pharmaceutical scheme benefits and health care insurance for your own medical services. Consequently, you often do not see the total bottom-line figure for your medical bills which in Australia, are partially funded by taxes imposed on all Australians. When medical care costs are added up – there is no comparison to the much lower physiotherapy care costs.
