Survey says 1 in 4 Americans would pay up to a $40 co-pay for chiropractic care

A recent survey of more than 2,000 Americans revealed that roughly 1 in 4 (24%) would “be most likely to pay a co-pay of $40 or less without hesitation.”

The survey was commissioned by ATI Physical Therapy, one of the nation’s largest providers of physical therapy services.

One third of Americans (33%) say physical therapy is among the out-patient type of medical services they would be most likely to pay a co-pay of $40 or less for without hesitation. Other health care services Americans would be most likely to pay a co-pay of $40 or less for without hesitation include urgent care visits (55%), regular screening/check-ups (35%), prescriptions (33%) and chiropractic services (24%).

“While it’s unclear if these results are directly related to the experience of many Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems the impact of extended work-from-home on our bodies, coupled with the extra focus on health care costs and services, are shifting consumer perceptions of priority, preventive health services,” said Dr. Charles Thigpen, Sr. Director of Practice Innovation and Analytics at ATI Physical Therapy.

In October the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and doctors of chiropractic nationwide promoted the benefits of movement during National Chiropractic Health Month with the theme “Keep Moving!” highlighting how moving more can enhance physical and mental health.

“With their expertise in musculoskeletal health, doctors of chiropractic have helped many people to keep moving over the past year, including those with physically demanding front-line jobs,” said ACA President Michele Maiers, DC, MPH, PhD. “Chiropractors are a resource for anyone who seeks a natural approach to pain relief, health promotion and physical fitness.”

Worldwide, back pain is the single leading cause of disability, preventing many people from engaging in work as well as other everyday activities. Back pain accounts for more than 264 million lost work days in one year — that’s two work days for every full-time worker in the country, and an estimated 80% of people will experience back pain during their lives.

Survey Method: This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of ATI Physical Therapy between July 29–August 2, 2021, among 2,099 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.