The next four years, health care, and physical therapy

[gotaspirations]

Can someone provide me with some insights on how we can anticipate health care to change under a new presidency? ACA is revoked, so how do you anticipate it will it affect the PT profession (if at all)?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but PTs will no longer be as much in demand. Will health insurance likely not cover PTs treatment? Will will happen?! What are your guy's thoughts?

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[jblil]

Nobody knows the answers to your question, and that probably includes the new president himself. It's like asking "what comes after death?".

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but PTs will no longer be as much in demand. Will health insurance likely not cover PTs treatment?

Where on earth did you get this idea from?

 

[gotaspirations]

Where on earth did you get this idea from?

That's my own assumption. Health insurance will not cover PT, therefore it will not be as much demand for it (therefore less jobs).

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

That's my own assumption. Health insurance will not cover PT, therefore it will not be as much demand for it (therefore less jobs).

Do you have anything at all to back that up, or are you simply pulling that out of thin air based on? Because essentially every metric out there shows growth for the profession.

 

[hawk777]

I've never seen any data that shows anything but projected growth for the PT profession. It is still young and evolving. I see nothing but exciting things ahead for PTs.


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[gotaspirations]

Do you have anything at all to back that up, or are you simply pulling that out of thin air based on? Because essentially every metric out there shows growth for the profession.

No, I don't have anything to "back it up." I posted this thread because I simply don't know. I'm not in a program yet, but I'd like to know if our new president will have any affect on this profession at all. Now that ACA is repealed, should I expect a lower demand in PT? My point is, I want your opinions!

 

[gotaspirations]

I've never seen any data that shows anything but projected growth for the PT profession. It is still young and evolving. I see nothing but exciting things ahead for PTs.


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Even if ACA is repealed?

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

There profession was growing before the ACA came into existence.

If you take the GOP at their word (lol), they're going to replace the ACA. So, theres that. I don't believe them but that's what they're saying.

 

[gotaspirations]

There profession was growing before the ACA came into existence.

If you take the GOP at their word (lol), they're going to replace the ACA. So, theres that. I don't believe them but that's what they're saying.

But they started the process of repealing it already?

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

But they started the process of repealing it already?

Yes. They say that their plan is to repeal it and immediately replace it with something that does the same thing as the ACA, but "better."

 

[gotaspirations]

Yes. They say that their plan is to repeal it and immediately replace it with something that does the same thing as the ACA, but "better."

I am very skeptical about this "better" ACA. Please shed light on how it can be better please.

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

I'm skeptical too, which is why I put it in quotes. There are very few details out about it. I'm not a conservative, I'm not defending this.

Again, though. PT was growing before the ACA, it will continue to grow after it's repeal. It has more to do with the demographics of this country than anything else.

 

[truthseeker]

the closer the consumer gets to the provider of the service the more the better service will flourish. If you believe that what we do is valuable, and let's say, more valuable than the competition (chiropractors and the like) then you should have no worries about our profession. IMO the pricing is outrageous right now because of the "distance" between the PT and the pt. The market does not have much of an influence when the consumer is not able to "shop" for their care to find the best product for the best price. por ejemplo: in order to get $100 we have to bill $200. the poor schlub that has a high deductible has to pay $200 for a service that is worth $100. that schlub chooses not to attend PT.
Bottom line is, if you do believe that PT is more effective than our competitors, we will be fine. I do.

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

the closer the consumer gets to the provider of the service the more the better service will flourish. If you believe that what we do is valuable, and let's say, more valuable than the competition (chiropractors and the like) then you should have no worries about our profession. IMO the pricing is outrageous right now because of the "distance" between the PT and the pt. The market does not have much of an influence when the consumer is not able to "shop" for their care to find the best product for the best price. por ejemplo: in order to get $100 we have to bill $200. the poor schlub that has a high deductible has to pay $200 for a service that is worth $100. that schlub chooses not to attend PT.
Bottom line is, if you do believe that PT is more effective than our competitors, we will be fine. I do.

Are you suggesting a transition to cash based PT becoming the norm?

 

[truthseeker]

Not really, just that the more the market influences the price, the lower the price ends up being. Right now, people don't know that one doctor charges $X for a strep test and another doctor charges $2X for the same test, wouldn't they pick the first doctor if they knew? Chiro's are less expensive than a PT per visit, but our overall cost is lower because we see them fewer times and if done well, good PT reduces the likelihood of recurrence which chiro does not do because it is generally passive.

PT doesn't have to go to straight cash only practice for the market to "choose" us. It just needs to be known what the overall cost of back pain for example is per episode of care. We win that one but not enough people know that.

 

[jesspt]

Not really, just that the more the market influences the price, the lower the price ends up being. Right now, people don't know that one doctor charges $X for a strep test and another doctor charges $2X for the same test, wouldn't they pick the first doctor if they knew? Chiro's are less expensive than a PT per visit, but our overall cost is lower because we see them fewer times and if done well, good PT reduces the likelihood of recurrence which chiro does not do because it is generally passive.

PT doesn't have to go to straight cash only practice for the market to "choose" us. It just needs to be known what the overall cost of back pain for example is per episode of care. We win that one but not enough people know that.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for greater transparency. But a "freer" market would be nice.

 

[NewTestament]

the closer the consumer gets to the provider of the service the more the better service will flourish.

Yes. PT should learn to sell itself to consumers directly, instead of lobbying governments and trying to persuade insurance companies. If we can convince consumers that we should be the first health-care professional they see, and not the MD, we would have no problem selling our services for $150/hour.