Why Cash-Based PT Gives You Better Care for Less

"Do you take my insurance?" is one of the most common questions we hear from new clients. The honest answer is that we are an out-of-network provider. But before that determines your decision, here are a few things worth understanding.

The Reality of Insurance-Based PT

When you receive a referral for insurance-covered physical therapy, the typical prescription is 2–3 visits per week for 4–12 weeks. Here's what that often looks like in practice:

Long wait times. In today's environment of high demand and short staffing, getting an initial appointment at a traditional clinic can take weeks. If you're in pain, waiting isn't an option you should have to accept.

Escalating out-of-pocket costs. Each visit may carry a co-pay of $20–75. If you haven't met your deductible—which can easily be several thousand dollars—you may be paying 100% of costs anyway. Insurance coverages continue to get more restrictive.

Double and triple-booked appointments. As insurance companies reimburse less, clinics compensate by seeing more patients simultaneously. This means less time with your PT, less hands-on care, and predictably worse outcomes. It's a big reason we hear from clients who "tried PT before and it didn't work."

Restricted treatment options. Insurance companies can dictate what types of treatment a clinician is allowed to use—including hands-on manual therapy. If you've had a PT experience where you barely interacted with your therapist and they hardly touched you, this is why.

The Cash-Based Difference

We started Forge specifically to cut out the insurance company dictating how we care for people.

• Faster access. In Florida, physical therapists have Direct Access without a physician's referral for 30 days. You can often be seen the next day.
• Dedicated one-on-one time. Every session is a full hour with your PT—no divided attention, no assistants running you through exercises unsupervised.
• Personalized, unrestricted care. We use whatever approach is most effective—manual therapy, targeted exercise, movement correction—with no insurance restrictions.
• Better outcomes with fewer visits. Clients typically resolve their problems faster than in a traditional model. You pay less in the long run and solve problems sooner.
• Flexible scheduling. Early mornings, later evenings—we work around your life.

What About Reimbursement?

Many clients have out-of-network benefits that can partially reimburse our services. We can provide a Superbill upon request for submission to your insurance company. We also accept payment via Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).

Faster access, more personalized care, better outcomes with fewer visits. That's what cash-based PT delivers.