Most clinics won’t answer this question on their website. You call, you get “it depends on your insurance,” and you’re no closer to knowing whether you can afford to get your shoulder looked at.
Here’s a straight answer, including the maths on when cash-based ends up cheaper than using your insurance — which happens more often than you’d expect.
What cash-based actually means
A cash-based clinic doesn’t bill your insurance company. You pay at the time of service.
That’s the whole model. It isn’t a premium tier or a luxury product — it’s a different arrangement about who the clinic answers to.
When a clinic bills insurance, the insurer effectively sets the terms: how many visits are approved, what counts as a billable unit, how much documentation is required per visit. To stay solvent under those rates, most in-network clinics run two or three patients simultaneously, with a physical therapist moving between rooms and aides supervising exercise.
That’s not a criticism of the therapists. It’s arithmetic.
A cash-based clinic takes the insurer out of it. One patient, one therapist, the whole session.
The real numbers at SCOR
Per session (one-on-one with Dr. Austin Foguth, PT, DPT)
| Initial evaluation & treatment (60 min) | [CONFIRM] |
| Follow-up session (30–60 min) | [CONFIRM] |
Athlete recovery memberships (month-to-month, no contract)
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $65/mo | 1 session/month · dry needling · sport massage · cupping · Normatec compression |
| Competitor | $120/mo | Everything in Starter · 2 sessions/month · shockwave therapy · 15% off added sessions · 10% off apparel |
| Elite | $199/mo | Everything in Competitor · 4 sessions/month · custom strength plan · 20% off added sessions · 15% off apparel |
We accept all major cards, HSA and FSA, and cash. Payment is due at the time of service. No sign-up fee, no contract, cancel whenever you need to.
The comparison nobody runs
Here’s why “I’ll just use my insurance” is often the more expensive choice.
Say your plan has a $40 copay and a $2,000 deductible you haven’t met — which describes a large share of employer plans now.
In-network route. Until that deductible is met, you’re frequently paying the full negotiated rate, often $90–$150 a visit. And in-network plans of care commonly run 2–3 visits a week for 6 weeks — that’s 12–18 visits, partly because shorter, shared sessions need more of them to cover the same ground.
Even at the friendly end: 12 visits × $100 = $1,200.
Cash-based route. Sessions are longer, fully one-on-one, and the plan is typically once a week or less, because more gets done each time. A common course is 6–8 sessions.
Multiply that out with Austin’s real per-session rate and, for most people who haven’t met a deductible, the totals land close — and the cash-based total usually involves half the trips across town.
The picture flips if you’ve already met your deductible for the year. Then in-network is genuinely cheaper, and we’ll say so if you ask.
How the superbill works
Being out-of-network doesn’t mean your insurance is irrelevant. It means the paperwork direction reverses.
After each visit you get a superbill — an itemised receipt with the diagnosis codes, treatment codes, provider details and NPI number your insurer needs.
1. Pay at the time of service. 2. Get the superbill (we generate it — you don’t have to ask). 3. Submit it to your insurer under out-of-network benefits, usually through their app or portal. 4. If your plan has out-of-network coverage, they reimburse you directly.
How much comes back depends entirely on your plan. Some reimburse a solid share; some have no out-of-network benefit at all. Call the number on your card and ask two questions: Do I have out-of-network outpatient physical therapy benefits, and what’s my out-of-network deductible? Two minutes, and you’ll know exactly where you stand.
Using HSA and FSA
Physical therapy is a qualified medical expense, so HSA and FSA funds cover it — including at an out-of-network clinic. You can pay with the card directly.
For a lot of clients this is the cleanest answer: pre-tax money, no reimbursement chase, no approval process. If you have an FSA with a use-it-or-lose-it deadline, this is a considerably better use of it than another pair of prescription sunglasses.
What you’re actually paying for
The honest summary: you’re paying for undivided time with a doctor of physical therapy, and for fewer visits.
Whether that’s worth it depends on what you’re trying to do. If you want someone to genuinely work out why your knee keeps flaring up, and to build the strength so it stops, that’s what this model is for.
If you’re not sure, call and ask. We’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right fit — and if your deductible is already met and an in-network clinic makes more sense for you, we’ll say that too.
Book an evaluation or call (234) 380-6182. SCOR Performance & Recovery, 4968 Darrow Rd., Stow, OH.
Related: Physical Therapy in Stow, Ohio · Do I need a referral in Ohio?