CostKits Healthcare, Organized
Login
Home Tools Procedure Costs Learn
Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

Physical Therapy Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a physical therapy cost in California?

Where you have a physical therapy done in California swings the bill from $103 to $247 for identical care. The median cash price across 223 reporting hospitals is $137. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

Three low-priced facilities in California, from hospital price files

  • St Joseph Hospital of Orange · Orange, CA $87
  • Enloe Medical Center $87
  • St Jude Hospital Inc · Fullerton, CA $87

All 223 facilities are listed below, free.

Where physical therapy costs vary in California

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby outpatient clinics and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Click a pin for details.

26+ people checked prices near them this month.

What you pay for a physical therapy depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

Your personalized cost report includes:

  • ✓ Evaluation vs. treatment: The first visit is billed as an evaluation, and later visits are billed by the 15-minute unit of care.
  • ✓ Visit limits: Many plans cap the number of covered visits per year.
  • ✓ Which bills usually arrive separately, and which providers to check are in-network
  • ✓ The questions to ask before you schedule, so the estimate covers everything
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.

We'll send a sign-in link to your email - click it to get your guide. No account required, no spam.

Cheapest Physical Therapy Providers in California

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs median ($137)
1 St Joseph Hospital of Orange Orange, CA $87 $50 below
2 Enloe Medical Center CA $87 $50 below
3 St Jude Hospital Inc Fullerton, CA $87 $50 below
4 Mission Hospital Regional Med Center Mission Viejo, CA $87 $50 below
5 Vibra Hospital of Northern California Redding, CA $89 $48 below
6 Vibra Hospital of Sacramento Folsom, CA $89 $48 below
7 RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Riverside, CA $90 $47 below
8 Shasta Regional Medical Center CA $91 $46 below

Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Before you book: three questions that change the price

  1. Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
  2. Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
  3. What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost →  ·  When the bills arrive, we check them for errors →

Quick take

  • St Joseph Hospital of Orange is the lowest-cost option at $87 - $50 below the median posted price ($137), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $137, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Doctor offices and independent clinics may charge differently from hospitals for the same service and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset. Ask your doctor whether another site is an option.
Physical therapy prices by coverage in California, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$101 to $101$101
With insurance (commercial, average)126$99 to $299$161
Without insurance (cash price)237$87 to $495$137
Anthem Blue Cross92$75 to $303$147
Aetna76$65 to $374$196
Cigna55$86 to $405$290
UnitedHealthcare48$50 to $374$173

Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.

How much does a physical therapy cost with Medicare in California?

Medicare's national fee-schedule payment for physical therapy is about $101 to $101 (typically near $101). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $20 on a $101 payment, with no out-of-pocket cap unless you have supplemental coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Doctor, anesthesia and pathology fees are billed separately. Medicare rates are national CMS amounts, adjusted slightly by local wage levels.

How much does a physical therapy cost with insurance in California?

Across 126 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for physical therapy average $99 to $299 per hospital, with a median near $161. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.

Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.

How much does a physical therapy cost without insurance in California?

Cash (self-pay) prices for physical therapy at 237 California hospitals range from $87 to $495, with a median of $137. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.

Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.

How much does a physical therapy cost with Anthem Blue Cross in California?

Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for physical therapy at 92 California hospitals range from $75 to $303, with a median near $147. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.

Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.

How much does a physical therapy cost with Aetna in California?

Aetna negotiated rates for physical therapy at 76 California hospitals range from $65 to $374, with a median near $196. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does a physical therapy cost with Cigna in California?

Cigna negotiated rates for physical therapy at 55 California hospitals range from $86 to $405, with a median near $290. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does a physical therapy cost with UnitedHealthcare in California?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for physical therapy at 48 California hospitals range from $50 to $374, with a median near $173. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How where you go changes what you pay for physical therapy

The same physical therapy bundles different services depending on the setting - facility fee, surgeon fee, and anesthesia each arrive as separate bills. Estimated ranges below reflect the typical full bundled cost, including all expected charges.

Hospital Outpatient
$202–$1,440
  • Facility fee $52–$1,040
  • Professional fee $150–$400

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$204–$1,440
  • Facility fee $54–$1,040
  • Professional fee $150–$400

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

California has the most competitive commercial hospital market in the country, with aggressive multi-system competition in every major metro driving meaningful price variation. Kaiser Permanente's integrated payer-provider model covers roughly 40% of the insured population in the state - if you're Kaiser-enrolled, the prices here largely don't apply. California's robust price transparency enforcement under SB 1204 means the data here is more complete than in most states.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →

Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (5) report prices above $648, including James D. Tate MD at $1,040, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $137 versus $222 inpatient (about 1.6× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

On top of the facility price, your actual bill depends on your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved - not just the facility - is in-network.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$137
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$27
Out-of-network provider $301+

Frequently asked questions: physical therapy costs in California

How much does a physical therapy cost in California?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $102, with most facilities between $71 and $103 (based on 174 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $87–$495; outlier facilities above and below that range are left out. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get a physical therapy in California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is St Joseph Hospital of Orange in Orange at about $87. By metro, Fresno has the lowest median ($89).

Why is a physical therapy so much cheaper at some California hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 1.5× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In California, the median cash (self-pay) price is $137 versus a median negotiated rate of $161 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. Asking for the cash price as well as your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a physical therapy in California?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network - not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Before you book

Other procedures in California

Physical Therapy, elsewhere

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).

Other Procedure Costs in California

Bone, joint and pain

Imaging and scans

Heart and cardiac tests

Sleep and breathing tests

Scopes and screening

General surgery

Lab tests

Ear, nose and throat

Urology and women's health

Eye care

Infusions

Emergency care

Interested in understanding healthcare costs and managing your medical expenses?

About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Ready to take control of your healthcare costs?

Use the free cost estimator →  ·  Get your bill screened for free →  ·  See the family plan →

Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

Track Your Healthcare Costs

Create a free account to save procedures, compare prices, and analyze future medical bills.