We regularly hear stories of people who save money, receive better care, and even access health care options for the first time thanks to their Health Access Benefit. Here is one story of a family who had an easy experience accessing affordable physical therapy for their son:
As a freshman playing on the varsity soccer team at his high school, my son was focused on building size and strength to play and compete with upper classmen. For several months, he had diligently gone to the gym to lift weights with a few of his friends. He developed some pain in his back that didn’t go away after several weeks, so we visited his primary care physician who suggested a physical therapy visit.
We could have had the doctor refer us to a physical therapist, but he is a part of the local hospital system, and a hospital-based physical therapist can be very expensive. Instead, my wife and I called our personal doctor through Health Access Benefits and asked if their office could refer us to a physical therapist that would be more affordable.
They referred us to a local physical therapist that cost $120 per visit—about one-third of the price of the hospital-based physical therapist!
After the first consult, the physical therapist wanted to do an x-ray to make sure there were no underlying bone issues before treating my son. We again called our personal doctor through Health Access Benefits to request a referral for a place to get affordable x-rays. Just a couple days later, we had two x-rays at a total cost of $54!
Our son had three visits to the physical therapist. Each one was extremely helpful and hassle-free. He learned a lot about form and posture to help him work out more effectively and safely. The therapist talked to him in ways that he could understand, even as a high school student, and educated him on how to improve his strength-building workouts and become a better soccer player. The exercise routines the therapist taught him clearly improved his performance.
Without a doubt, this was the best health care experience our family has ever had!
What Worked for this Family?
This soccer family was able to have a great health care experience because they did not have an insurance company directing them within a network—they made their own decision about which providers to see! They did not have to ask for approvals or permissions prior to any visits. They experienced zero delays or frustrations that are common when accessing care.
This family relied on their primary care provider to be referred to the best physical therapist and an office to get x-rays taken. Learn more about how to access your primary care provider here.
Share Your Success Story!
If you are having success with your Health Access Benefit, like this family has, then we want to hear your story! Sharing your story with us is easy and takes less than 5 minutes. Learn more here.