For most people, your health insurance deductible resets on January 1. So if you've been living with a sore back, a stiff shoulder, or a knee that aches on the stairs, the next few weeks may be the cheapest time all year to get it checked.
Here's how year-end insurance benefits work, who they help most, and how to start physical therapy at Renew Wellness before your coverage resets.
How Year-End Insurance Benefits Work
If you've paid a lot toward your care this year, PT now could cost far less than the same visits in February. Here's why:
- Your deductible resets. A deductible is what you pay before your insurance starts sharing the cost. Once you've met it, you usually pay only a copay or a percentage per visit. On January 1, that count starts over at zero.
- Your out-of-pocket max resets too. If you've hit your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, your plan typically covers 100% of in-network covered care for the rest of the plan year.
- FSA money can expire. Most Flexible Spending Accounts are use-it-or-lose-it. Some plans give a short grace period or let a small amount carry over, but the rest is gone.
- HSA money rolls over. You won't lose it, but you can still use it to pay for physical therapy.
- PT visits may be capped. Many plans limit how many therapy visits you get each year. Unused visits don't carry into the new year.
Not sure where you stand? Log in to your insurance portal or call the number on the back of your card. Ask how much of your deductible you've met and how many PT visits you have left.
Who Should Book Physical Therapy Before the Year Ends
You'll get the most out of the next few weeks if any of these sound like you:
- You had a big medical bill this year. Surgery, an ER visit, an MRI, or a hospital stay often pushes you past your deductible.
- Someone on your family plan did. A kid's broken arm or a spouse's procedure may have met your family deductible, which can lower your cost too.
- You have FSA money left. PT is a qualified medical expense, so it's a practical way to use dollars that would expire.
- You've been putting off pain for months. The back that tightens after a long drive. The shoulder that hurts when you reach overhead. The knee you've been "working around" at the gym.
- Your symptoms came back. You finished PT earlier this year, things felt better, and now the old pain is creeping in.
- You have a goal coming up. A spring race, a ski trip, or getting back to lifting in January goes better if you fix the problem now.
Haven't met your deductible? It can still make sense to start now. Your first evaluation tells you what's going on and what your plan of care looks like.
Why Waiting Usually Costs More
The deductible math is one reason to act now. The bigger reason: pain that sits untreated can get more expensive to fix.
Research on low back pain points the same way:
- Starting PT early was linked to lower costs. A study of more than 32,000 people with new low back pain found that those who started physical therapy within 14 days of seeing their doctor had lower overall healthcare costs, about $2,736 less on average, than people who waited (Fritz et al., Spine, 2012).
- Starting with PT was linked to lower costs than starting with imaging. People whose back pain care began with a PT referral spent about 72% less over the next year than people who started with an MRI: $1,871 vs. $6,664 (Fritz et al., Health Services Research, 2015).
Both studies looked at low back pain, and they show a link between timing and cost, not proof that one causes the other. Later trials found smaller or mixed cost differences, but early PT still came out as good value.
There's also what happens in your body while you wait. When something hurts, you start moving around it. You shift your weight, lift with one side or stop using a joint through its full range. Over time, those habits can cause new aches in places that were fine before. (Read more on that in our blog What It Means When Your PT Says 'Don't Compensate'.)
So starting earlier can mean fewer problems to fix.
How to Start Physical Therapy at Renew Wellness
Getting started is simple, and you don't need a doctor's referral to be seen.
- No referral needed to be seen. You can book an appointment with us online with or without a referral.
- Every visit is 1-on-1. You work with a licensed physiotherapist the whole time. Insurance-based sessions run 45 minutes. No sharing your PT with three other patients.
- We accept all insurance. So you can put this year's benefits to work before they reset.
- Not sure PT is right for you? Book a free 20-minute mobility screening first. A physiotherapist will look at how you move, talk through what's bothering you, and tell you if PT makes sense.
- Clinics near you. Winston-Salem, High Point, Burlington, Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Raleigh, Durham, Morrisville, Wake Forest, Wilmington and Charleston, SC.
- Same hours everywhere. Monday–Thursday, 7:30am–7pm. Friday, 7:30am–12pm.
December schedules fill up fast with holidays and last-minute appointments. If you want to use this year's benefits, book in November so you have room for follow-up visits before January 1.
Book your first visit or free screening →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth starting physical therapy at the end of the year?
Often, yes. If you've met your deductible or out-of-pocket max, your visits may cost much less now than in January, when your deductible resets. Starting earlier can also keep a small problem from turning into a bigger one.
What happens to my physical therapy coverage on January 1?
For most plans, your deductible, out-of-pocket max and yearly PT visit count all reset. If you're mid-treatment, your visits keep going, but you may start paying more per visit until you meet the new deductible. Some plans also need a new authorization in January.
Can I use my FSA or HSA to pay for physical therapy?
Yes. Physical therapy counts as a qualified medical expense for both. FSA dollars usually expire at the end of the plan year, so PT is a good way to use what's left.
Do I need a doctor's referral to see a physical therapist at Renew Wellness?
No. You can book directly with any Renew Wellness clinic. Our team will also take your information to let you know exactly what your insurance covers.
I haven't met my deductible. Should I still start PT now?
It can still make sense. Your first visit gives you a clear picture of what's wrong and how long it may take to fix. You can also start with a free 20-minute mobility screening to see if PT is a good fit before you pay for anything.
Get more answers on our FAQ page here!
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