Highbar Grows to 57 Locations Without Raising Physical Therapist Productivity Expectations, Calls for Payment Reform

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- During National Physical Therapy Month, the profession has a payment problem, and clinicians are carrying it. Medicare's conversion factor fell from $36.09 in 2020 to $32.35 in 2025, a cut of more than 10% before inflation. Because many commercial plans benchmark their rates to Medicare, the decline reaches well beyond Medicare patients. Prior authorizations and administrative requirements add hours of unpaid work. Clinicians absorb it all through lagging pay and heavier caseloads.

Highbar Physical Therapy has taken a different path, growing from one clinic to 57 locations without raising clinician productivity expectations.

"Our profession has been trained to accept the payment system as it is. That has to change," said Michelle Collie, PT, DPT, MS, CEO of Highbar and past president of APTA Rhode Island. "Fair pay for physical therapists depends on fair payment for physical therapy, and that takes payers, policymakers, and providers solving it together. At Highbar, we have chosen to grow without asking our clinicians to carry the cost."

How Highbar operates:

• Clinicians lead: leaders are licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.
• Development: mentorship, residency with a 100% board-certification pass record, and support for advanced certifications.
• Individualized care, with AI tools that reduce paperwork.
• H-Shares, a benefit for every employee tied to Highbar's growth.

"I did my final clinical rotation here as a student and have grown through every role since," said David Pavao, PT, DPT, Chief Clinical Officer at Highbar. "That path exists because physical therapists lead this company."

Highbar is hiring at highbarhealth.com/careers.

Frequently asked questions

What's wrong with physical therapy payment? Medicare payment has fallen more than 10% since 2020, and many commercial plans follow its lead. Practices respond by raising volume per clinician.

How does Highbar treat its clinicians differently? It has grown without raising productivity expectations, delivers individualized care, is led by clinicians, and shares growth through H-Shares.

About Highbar Physical Therapy
Highbar Physical Therapy is raising the bar in physical therapy, built by physical therapists, for physical therapists. As a teaching practice, Highbar invests in clinician development and innovation in how care is delivered. Highbar serves patients across Rhode Island and Massachusetts through its affiliated practices: Joint Ventures Physical Therapy, Peak Physical Therapy, and Physical Therapy U.

Media contact: Stephany Rosa, Chief of Staff, [email protected]

SOURCE Highbar Physical Therapy