At Invoke Therapy and Wellness, we use a direct pay model, and we want to break down why this approach often leads to better results, faster recovery, and ultimately lower overall costs.
What’s the Difference?
| Direct Pay PT (Invoke) | Insurance-Based PT |
| 1-on-1, 60 –minute sessions with a Doctor of Physical Therapy every visit. | Frequently just 15-30 minutes with a PT before being passed on to a tech or
aide |
| Whole-body approach to address root causes and improve functional mobility to prevent re-injury | Focuses on the injury site only, limited by insurance reimbursement. |
| Strength Training and Scientifically accurate assessment molds treatment to you and your needs. | Limited to only what insurance will cover/allow. Often restricts strength training and advanced techniques. |
| Known Costs upfront. No surprise bills. | Copays + unknown out—of-pocket costs, often resulting in higher expenses overall. |
| Treatment built around your lifestyle, needs, and goals. | Treatment dictated by productivity minimums, and insurance guidelines, not your needs, goals or situation. |
Why People Benefit from Direct Pay PT
Most insurance-based PT clinics operate under strict reimbursement rules, meaning they can’t always treat individuals in the way that actually gets them better. This leads to:
✅ Shorter, rushed sessions that don’t address your full movement patterns
✅ A focus on short-term pain relief instead of long-term performance
✅ Minimal strength training, even though it’s a key factor in injury prevention
With direct pay PT at Invoke, you get:
Individualized strength-based rehab to build resilience and prevent re-injury
Full-hour sessions with a PT who understands biomechanics
No wasted time with unnecessary treatments—just what works
Doesn’t Insurance Cover PT? Won’t Direct Pay Cost More?
It’s a common misconception that insurance saves you money—but for many , insurance-based PT actually costs more in the long run.
- Most people have high deductibles ($1,000+), meaning you pay out of pocket for PT until you hit that threshold.
- Insurance-based PT often requires 2-3 visits per week, for 3-4 weeks, which adds up in copays. But beyond cost, this model also wastes a lot of time—because the care is less individualized, you need more frequent visits just to make progress.
- Many patients get surprise bills months later when insurance denies certain treatments.
At Invoke, you know your costs upfront—and because we focus on getting you stronger faster, you typically need fewer visits overall.
How to Use Out-of-Network Benefits
If you have out-of-network insurance benefits, you may be eligible for reimbursement — sometimes covering 60-80% of your care.
We provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance company, and many of our clients receive a partial refund within a few weeks. This means you get high-quality care without the limitations of in-network PT, and still get financial support.
