Physio availability

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

Members are tell me there is limited availability of physio in countries like the US . That you need a referral which is hard to get , or there is none close by though they live in a major city or none are trained in pelvic floor work etc .
My experience in Australia is that they are everywhere I could walk to several different clinics and make an appointment without referral. Last time I asked a doc if it was worth gong to a physio(shoulder injury) he couldn't agree more and arranged discounts for me .

Never found a doc yet who is anti physio which is saying something .


Anyway thought I would get some experiences from our members all over the world .

[Dangler Senior Administrator☼ Wizard ☼ White Tiger Award 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Dangler]

USA - generally speaking

The 'referral' is what is needed to involve ones insurance coverage.
Ones Primary Care Provider (PCP; Doctor), is the one responsible for screening a patients malady and deciding what happens next.

If one wishes to make an appointment, (with some doctors practice), with the understanding it is self coverage/self pay, and the other party agrees, then that can be proceeded with. A risk of not being able to collect payment exists.

Some medical practices will only treat new patients that have insurance coverage; assuring the practice gets paid, and motivating people participate in the Insurance marketplace.

One avenue of last resort can be a Hospital's Emergency Room facilities. There are a growing number of Emergency Care Centers built, that provide "Drive up/Park/Get help" as an alternative to the Hospital ER or if one needs help on a 24/7 basis. Not certain on their individual payment options.

[Georgeoz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Georgeoz]

Australia has a statutory system for registration (subject to stringent testing) of a large number of ancillary health professions, including osteopathy, nurses, chiro, podiatry, physics, Chinese doctors, naturopaths, herbalists, etc etc. Most health funds will cover you for "extras".

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

All of which you can pay for and go to with no problem in any major city. Or the health fund (insurance) can pay. So high quality care easy availability.

[Georgeoz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Georgeoz]

Unlike Obamacare. The most expensive healthcare in the world.

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

The US seems to have historically overpaid for healthcare.
The japs seem to get very good value for money. Interestingly their physio has developed upon somewhat different lines.

[domnus Senior Member Member of the Month Dec 2016 Find all posts View Profile Close domnus]

Many states in the US offer direct access to physiotherapy (no referral required). It really depends on one's particular insurance plan as to if it will be covered.
All government funded plans require a referral from an MD, nurse practioner etc for physio. Most private insurance companies cover physio without MD referral in states that allow direct access to physio.

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

Ah so it varies state to state .

Any other countries want to chime in how about UK and euro area.

[dmizzle Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dmizzle]

Im not exactly sure what Physio availability means. But I go directly to any Dr I want to. I had a problem with my thumb a few months back. I just called and made an appointment with an orthopedic Dr. Went in the next day and he gave me a cortisone shot and it was a $20 co pay. I have a problem with my shoulder so I called him again and will get a cortisone shot tomorrow, $20 co pay.

I'm not sure what these referrals are. I thought that was when you have HMO type insurance. I have Blue Cross PPO so I go anywhere I want. I'm in the Chicago area just for reference.

[closed251 Senior Member Member of the Month Nov 2016 Find all posts View Profile Close closed251]

Ah so it varies state to state .

Any other countries want to chime in how about UK and euro area.

I'm based in the UK and when I was in a six car pile up in 2004, I got physio straight away for four months. Really helped.

My first pregnancy my hips split apart with being too narrow and physio helped then too. Of course all free on the NHS.

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

We have physio through the public health that is free also Tara but access is through referral .

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

Never got to know what happens in none anglo countries . I still get people ell me of limited availability .