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Is Physiotherapy Covered by Alberta Health Care?
For most adults, no. Alberta Health Care does not pay for physiotherapy at private clinics. AHS does fund a small number of visits in four situations, listed below, and you do not need a referral to access them.
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The short answer
Alberta Health Care (AHCIP) covers physiotherapy you receive in hospital. Once you are home, physiotherapy at a community clinic is not an insured service, with four exceptions that Alberta Health Services funds directly:
- Within 12 weeks of a fracture
- Within 12 weeks of orthopedic surgery
- After a hip or knee replacement
- A joint or muscle injury, if you qualify as low-income
In those cases AHS pays for an assessment and a set number of follow-up visits at an AHS outpatient site or a community clinic that holds an AHS contract.
Everyone else pays privately, through extended health benefits, WCB or motor vehicle accident coverage. Each of those routes is explained on this site: direct billing and insurance, WCB claims and car accident claims.
Who qualifies for AHS-funded physiotherapy
AHS publishes the funded visit counts for each category. These are the current figures from the AHS Outpatient and Community Physiotherapy FAQ:
- Fracture or orthopedic surgery (within 12 weeks): an assessment plus up to three or four visits.
- Hip replacement: up to six group visits or four one-to-one visits.
- Knee replacement: up to six one-to-one visits or six group visits.
- General joint or muscle injury, low-income Albertans: up to four visits, in person or virtual.
There is no automatic coverage for seniors. A person over 65 qualifies under the same four categories as everyone else. This is the most common misunderstanding we hear at the front desk.
Children are covered under the same general-injury rules. AHS pediatric rehabilitation is a separate program with its own intake.
Source: AHS Outpatient and Community Physiotherapy Services FAQ.
Do I need a referral, and where do I go?
No referral is needed. You book directly. Search for Fractures, Joint and Muscle Injuries or Surgery, Orthopedic in the AHS Find Health Care directory to find a site and book an assessment.
AHS-funded visits are delivered at AHS outpatient departments and at community clinics that hold an AHS contract. Next Step does not hold an AHS community physiotherapy contract, so we do not deliver AHS-funded visits; if you qualify, the AHS directory will show you the nearest site that does, and we are glad to help you find it.
What physiotherapy costs if you do not qualify
At Next Step, a physiotherapy assessment is $135 and a follow-up visit is $95. Most extended health plans reimburse part or all of this, and we direct-bill many insurers so you pay only the difference at the visit. Our full fee list is on the physiotherapy cost page.
If cost is the barrier, tell us when you book. We can tell you whether you are likely to qualify for the AHS low-income program before you spend anything.
Other ways physiotherapy is paid for in Alberta
Extended health benefits. Most employer plans cover physiotherapy up to a yearly maximum. Alberta Blue Cross, Sun Life, Canada Life, Manulife, Green Shield, Medavie Blue Cross and many others are direct-billed here. Details are on our direct billing page.
WCB. If you were hurt at work and have reported the injury, WCB Alberta pays for authorized physiotherapy and you pay nothing. See work injury physiotherapy.
Motor vehicle accident. Alberta’s accident benefits pre-authorize the first course of treatment after a collision, regardless of fault. See MVA physiotherapy.
To book, call (587) 855-4559 or use the online booking form. No referral is needed.
Clinically reviewed by Roopreet Kaur, Registered Physiotherapist, Next Step Physio & Neurorehab Clinic. Last reviewed October 2026.
FAQ
Coverage and eligibility
Is physiotherapy free in Alberta for seniors?
No. There is no seniors' physiotherapy benefit in Alberta. People over 65 qualify for AHS-funded visits only under the same four categories as everyone else: recent fracture, recent orthopedic surgery, hip or knee replacement, or a joint or muscle injury with low income.
Does Alberta Health cover physiotherapy after surgery?
Yes, within 12 weeks of orthopedic surgery, for an assessment and a small number of follow-up visits at an AHS site or an AHS-contracted clinic.
Can I get AHS-funded physiotherapy without a referral?
Yes. You book directly through the AHS Find Health Care directory.
What counts as low income for the AHS program?
AHS uses its own income thresholds and an application form. The current form and thresholds are on the AHS website; ask us and we will point you to it.
Is there free physiotherapy in Alberta?
Not at private clinics. Alberta Health Services funds a limited number of visits in the four situations listed above, delivered at AHS outpatient sites and AHS-contracted clinics. Everyone else pays privately, through extended health benefits, WCB or motor vehicle accident coverage.
Paying privately
Does my employer's health plan cover physiotherapy?
Most do, up to a yearly maximum that the plan sets. Check your benefits booklet for the yearly limit, any per-visit cap, and whether your plan asks for a doctor's note.
Do I need a referral to see a physiotherapist in Alberta?
No. Physiotherapists in Alberta are direct-access providers. Some insurance plans ask for a doctor's note to reimburse you, which is a plan rule, not a clinic rule.
