Private Pay vs. Insurance-Based Pelvic Floor Therapy: What to Know Before Booking Your First Visit

Deciding how to pursue pelvic floor therapy can be confusing. Should you go the insurance route? Or is private pay worth the investment? At Anchor Pelvic, we want you to feel fully informed—so you can make the best decision for your body, your time, and your goals.

We’ve created this guide to break down the real differences between insurance-based clinics, private pay clinics, and what you can expect at Anchor.

Disclaimer: This was written based on personal experiences from multiple Anchor Pelvic providers who have worked in various settings, as well as many real patient stories.

🎯Treatment Approach

Insurance-Based Clinics

These clinics treat based on what insurance will reimburse—often focused on pain or leakage, rather than your personal goals. If your concerns are related to your basic daily function this could be a good option for you. However, if your goals are related to things like  jump on a trampoline, run without pain or leakage, return to HIIT-workouts, improve the appearance and feel of your C-section scar, strengthen your abdomen to feel and look like yourself again postpartum, enjoy pain-free sex, or enhance sensation, these clinics may not have the specialized training, equipment, or time to get you there.

In this setting you may also feel like you are getting pushed out prior to meeting your goals so new patients can get in for appointments. You may get discharged when standardized tests say you're "improved," even if you're not back to feeling like yourself.

Private Pay Clinics

Freedom to treat your whole self with a more customized approach. Therapists have more flexibility to address the root cause of dysfunction, incorporating a wider range of techniques such as dry needling, visceral mobilization, behavioral modification, birth preparation, and partner sessions with your significant other.  The goal isn’t just short-term symptom relief—it’s getting you back to the activities you love with a body that feels strong and capable.

Anchor Pelvic Physical Therapy

At Anchor we focus on empowering patients through highly customized, full-body, and function-focused pelvic health care. Here’s a breakdown of what that looks like in practice:

We don’t just chase symptoms—we dig deeper to understand why you’re experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction. Our goal is to uncover and treat the root cause so you get long-term results, not just temporary relief. 

We believe knowledge is power. We don’t just focus on what’s happening when you’re in the office. We focus on how your symptoms are affecting your everyday life. We spend time educating you about your body and giving you the tools to stay confident and in control—because your healing doesn’t stop when you leave our office.

We pride ourselves on evidence based care that looks at the whole person.  ongoing pelvic floor training with a strong orthopedic foundation. We look at how your core, breath, posture, movement patterns, and nervous system all influence your pelvic health—because healing happens when we treat the body as an interconnected system.

Pelvic health is deeply personal. We create a safe, nonjudgmental space where you’re heard, respected, and cared for as a whole person—not just a diagnosis. Everyone on our team from the therapists, to the admin team, to the sweet lady who does our laundry is passionate about the care we provide and committed to making sure you have the absolute best experience from start to finish here at Anchor Pelvic. 

👩‍⚕️One-on-One Care

Insurance-Based Clinics

It’s important to ask when seeking out an insurance based clinic, how much time you will have one on one with your clinician, at the initial session AND at the follow ups. 

Specialty programs like pelvic health often face challenges within insurance-based clinics. For example, insurance reimburses the same amount for a pelvic health visit as it does for treating knee or shoulder pain. In fact, the reimbursement rates for physical or occupational therapy visits are often too low to support seeing just one patient per hour. As a result, these clinics need to see more patients to cover costs. This isn’t about greed—it’s just the reality of how many insurance-based companies are forced to operate.

Now, you might not mind sharing your treatment hour when it’s just your knee that needs attention. But when it comes to pelvic health, having another patient around can feel a little uncomfortable, especially when your treatment involves more sensitive areas. Plus, seeing two patients at once often means your care happens in a large, communal space instead of a private room. This can lead to adjustments in your treatment plan—sometimes based on scheduling constraints rather than what’s best for you. Some clinicians are experts at working within these limits, while others might not manage it as smoothly. It really depends on the clinic and the provider.

Many patients experience spending the first 30 minutes of a visit with their therapist, but being handed off to a tech with a list of exercises to perform for the remainder. This can lead to having to come 2x a week just to see a therapist for a combined 60 minutes. Without 1:1 care, you may require more visits to achieve the same results, especially if you need hands-on care. 

Private Pay Clinics

Private pay clinics can offer personalized, one-on-one sessions in a private setting. Here, you can expect to have the full focus of your therapist throughout your entire session. This tailored approach means you’re not just another appointment on a busy schedule; you’re an individual with unique needs and goals. Your therapist guides you through each exercise, ensuring that you understand the process and are performing movements correctly.

Anchor Pelvic

At Anchor we pride ourselves in having 100% private sessions with your licensed pelvic floor PT or OT—no techs, no splitting time. You get our full attention, every time and nothing is cookie cutter here. Our therapists have a wide range of backgrounds and specialties and we regularly collaborate on patients. This means you’re not just getting one set of knowledge on your case, you’re tapping into a collective wealth of experience and expertise.

🤝Choice of Therapist

Insurance-Based Clinics

Many insurance based clinics only have one therapist so it is important to ask their level of training and expertise. Some settings will have multiple clinicians but it is hard to stay on the schedule of the same clinician which leads to inconsistency in scheduling and less continuity of care.  With that said, you could also get lucky and land the head of a women’s health residency program! You just don’t always know who you’re going to get.

Private Pay Clinics

Private pay clinics allow for more flexibility in choosing a provider. Often, there are several providers in one office that can meet your needs. There is also typically higher value placed on keeping you with one or two therapists throughout your plan, allowing for a more streamlined and successful therapy journey.

Clinicians who choose to work in a specialty clinic are never just trying out a specialty; they are usually very passionate about it. This means you get highly specialized care from someone who truly understands your condition and goals. 

Anchor Pelvic

At Anchor, you’re not limited in your options—you get a team of experts working together to support your care. We have a talented group of five pelvic floor therapists, each with different backgrounds and specialties, so you can choose the provider that best fits your needs.

As mentioned earlier, we are a highly collaborative team and as a patient you’re getting the collective expertise and experience of our entire team.

At Anchor, you’re never stuck with a provider who isn’t the right fit. Our goal is to give you the best care possible and support you in finding the best fit. No egos, just excellent care.

⏰Appointment Availability

Insurance-Based Clinics

One of the biggest frustrations with insurance-based clinics is limited appointment availability. Long wait times to get in for an initial session are common and finding a time that fits your schedule can be impossible. 

Research shows that consistency is one of the keys factors to successful outcomes in pelvic floor therapy. Inability to get in for consistent follow ups can be frustrating and can derail a patient's success. 

Private Pay Clinics

Private pay clinics generally offer more flexibility with scheduling since there are often more providers who can meet your needs, and all of their patient slots are dedicated to the pelvic health specialty.

Wait times to start treatment are usually much shorter than in insurance-based clinics, and because these clinics tend to have smaller caseloads, they can often accommodate your schedule rather than the other way around. 

Since sessions tend to be longer and more in-depth, most patients need fewer visits. Fewer visits also mean less time spent traveling to and from appointments, making it easier to fit therapy into a busy life.

Anchor Pelvic

At Anchor, we value you and your time. Getting the care you need shouldn’t come at the cost of rearranging your entire schedule. With a team of five highly trained pelvic floor therapists, we offer a wide range of appointment times, including early morning and late evening, on top of our standard 9-5 hours. Whether you need to come in before work, after dropping the kids off, or later in the evening, we’ve got you covered. Also when we say a time we mean it. Assuming you arrive on time you will always be seen at your appointment time. No waiting around for a provider. 

Unlike many clinics, you will rarely—if ever—be placed on a waitlist. We intentionally reserve spots for new patients, ensuring that you can start care quickly and easily rather than waiting weeks or months for an opening. At Anchor, we make it a priority to keep our services accessible and convenient, so when you’re ready to prioritize your health, we’re ready for you.

💸Understanding the Cost

Insurance-Based Clinics

We’ve all been there. A medical office says your care is covered only to find out months later that the services that have already been completed were in fact not covered by insurance and you received a surprise bill for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. 

At first glance, insurance-based clinics may seem like the most cost-effective option, especially if you assume you’ll only be responsible for a co-pay. However, if you haven’t met your deductible or your insurance company deems your care unnecessary after the fact, you could end up paying significantly more out of pocket than expected—often more than what you would pay at a private clinic. 

Private Pay Clinics

With private pay clinics, the cost is transparent from day one. You know exactly what you’re paying for without hidden fees or surprise charges. While it feels like a larger upfront investment, you’re paying for highly personalized,patient centered care designed to get you better in fewer visits. Many private pay clinics also provide superbills, allowing patients to submit claims for potential reimbursement from their insurance providers.

Anchor Pelvic

While we are a private pay clinic, we are also an out-of-network provider—which means that, while we don’t bill insurance directly, many of our clients still utilize their insurance benefits. We provide the detailed paperwork you need to easily submit to your insurance, and many of our patients successfully file for reimbursement with their insurance provider. In fact, we’ve found that some insurance companies reimburse patients better than they reimburse in-network clinics.

We also believe in full transparency when it comes to cost. The price you pay at Anchor is the only cost you’ll ever have. There are no hidden fees, no unexpected charges, and no surprises. What you pay is what you pay—simple as that!

We eliminate that stress so you can focus on healing instead of worrying about financial surprises.

⏳Number of Sessions

Insurance-Based Clinics: 

Some insurance plans limit the number of sessions they will cover, regardless of your condition or progress. Yes, you read that correctly: the insurance company dictates what you “need” instead of your highly trained therapist. This means your treatment plan may be cut short, even if you still need support to fully recover. 

Some insurance providers only cover what they consider “medically necessary.” Unfortunately, things like pain with sex, urine leakage while running, diastasis recti, or the appearance of a C-section scar don’t always meet the criteria for physical therapy coverage. If these are your main concerns, it’s worth checking with your insurance to see if they’re covered. 

Furthermore, if the insurance-based clinic is not able to provide you with 60 minutes of 1:1 care, it’s possible that you will need more visits in order to get the same results, which means more time, preparation, commute, and money from you. 

Private Pay Clinics:

In a private pay model, your treatment plan isn’t dictated by an insurance adjuster—it’s based on your needs, your goals, and your progress. There are no predetermined session limits, and your therapist doesn’t have to jump through hoops just to get you the care you deserve.

You and your provider can make adjustments as needed—whether that means increasing or decreasing your frequency based on your progress, adding additional sessions for maintenance, or continuing treatment for wellness and injury prevention rather than just symptom resolution.

Anchor Pelvic Physical Therapy:

At Anchor, we don’t believe in limits on your care! There’s no outside party deciding how many sessions you “get” or how fast you should recover—we work as a team with our patients to create a personalized treatment plan that makes the most sense for you.

Your session frequency is based on your needs and goals, and it’s always re-evaluated as you progress. Some patients come in weekly, while others may transition to biweekly or monthly check-ins as they get stronger. And if you want to continue beyond rehab for wellness and injury prevention, we fully support that, too!

At Anchor, you’re in control of your care—whether that means working with your therapist to fine-tune your plan of care or continuing treatment to stay strong, active, and pain-free. No session caps, no outside limitations—just the care you need, for as long as you need it.

So... Which Option is Right for You?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But here’s what we know:

At Anchor Pelvic, our private pay model allows us to deliver high-touch, full-spectrum pelvic health care—with zero shortcuts. If you're tired of being rushed, dismissed, or limited by red tape, you're in the right place.

Your goals matter. Your time matters. Your comfort matters. We’re here to help you reclaim your body and confidence—on your terms.