Key takeaways.
- There is no separate laser fee. You pay for the physiotherapy visit.
- ICBC, WorkSafeBC, and extended health all treat a laser-inclusive visit as ordinary physiotherapy.
- No referral is needed to book, though some insurers ask for one to reimburse.
- We do not pre-sell session packages.
- We reassess after the first block and change the plan if nothing measurable has moved.
How the billing actually works.
Some clinics price modalities as separate line items, so a visit costs one amount and adding the machine costs more. We do not work that way. Laser is delivered inside a standard physiotherapy appointment and billed as physiotherapy.
The practical consequence is that your cost does not change based on whether the laser was used that day. Your physiotherapist can decide to use it, or not use it, purely on clinical grounds, with no financial pressure sitting on either side of that decision. That is the main reason we set it up this way.
We do not publish rates on this page, because a figure written here would eventually go stale and mislead someone. Call (604) 988-5411 or ask when you book, and you will get the current number directly.
What each funder covers.
Extended health. Most employer plans include a physiotherapy benefit, and a laser-inclusive visit claims exactly like any other physiotherapy visit. What differs plan to plan is the per-visit limit and the annual maximum. Those two numbers are worth knowing before you start a course of anything.
ICBC. After a crash, ICBC funds physiotherapy treatment, and laser used within those sessions is part of the visit rather than a separate approval. Our ICBC hub covers entitlements, direct billing, and what happens when treatment is extended.
WorkSafeBC. On an accepted claim, the treatment period covers up to 10 visits or five calendar weeks, whichever comes first, and laser sits inside those visits. Extensions are requested by your physiotherapist. The WorkSafeBC hub explains the deadlines that decide your coverage.
MSP. British Columbia’s Medical Services Plan covers physical therapy only through its income-tested supplementary benefits: $23 per visit, to a combined annual limit of 10 visits per calendar year. Qualifying generally means an adjusted net income under $42,000, or belonging to one of the listed groups such as Income Assistance recipients. For most residents, extended health, ICBC, or WorkSafeBC is the relevant route.
Why we do not sell packages.
Prepaid blocks of sessions are common in clinics that run laser as a product line. We do not offer them, and the reasoning is worth stating.
Selling ten sessions before you have had one means committing you financially before anyone knows whether the treatment is working for you. It also creates an awkward incentive: once the block is paid for, the honest conversation about stopping early becomes harder to have.
Instead we reassess after the first block of sessions against markers we can actually measure, such as pain, range of motion, and how much load the area tolerates. If those have improved, continuing makes sense. If they have not, we change the plan rather than extending it. Sometimes that means telling you the laser is not the right tool for your problem, which is a conversation we would rather have than not.
What actually drives your total cost.
Since there is no per-machine charge, your total comes down to how many appointments you need. That is driven by how irritable the problem is when you start, how long it has been going on, whether there is a surgical history involved, and how consistently you do the exercise programme between visits.
That last factor is the one you control and the one that moves the number most. The published evidence for laser is strongest when it is paired with loading, so the patients who do their programme tend to need fewer visits overall.
Ask at your assessment what a realistic range looks like for your specific injury. Anyone quoting you a precise number of sessions before examining you is guessing.
Frequently asked questions.
How much does laser therapy cost at Medstar?
There is no separate charge for laser therapy at Medstar. It is delivered inside a standard physiotherapy appointment and billed as physiotherapy, so what you pay is the physiotherapy visit fee rather than a visit fee plus a machine fee. For current rates, call the clinic on (604) 988-5411 or check when you book, since published rates change and we would rather quote you directly.
Is laser therapy covered by extended health insurance?+
Most extended health plans cover physiotherapy visits, and because laser at Medstar happens inside a physiotherapy appointment billed on the physiotherapy line, a visit that includes laser is covered the same as any other. What varies is your plan's per-visit limit and annual maximum. Check those with your insurer, since they differ substantially between employers and policies.
Does ICBC cover laser therapy after a car crash?+
ICBC funds physiotherapy treatment after a crash, and laser delivered within those physiotherapy sessions is covered as part of the visit rather than billed separately. You do not need a separate approval for the laser itself. What matters for your coverage is your physiotherapy entitlement under the claim, which our ICBC hub explains in detail.
Does WorkSafeBC cover laser therapy?+
WorkSafeBC funds physiotherapy on an accepted claim, and laser used within those sessions is part of the treatment rather than a separately billed item. On an accepted claim the treatment period covers up to 10 visits or five calendar weeks, whichever comes first, per WorkSafeBC's Physiotherapy Services Reference Manual. Extensions are requested by your physiotherapist when clinically justified.
Do you sell laser therapy packages?+
No. We do not pre-sell blocks of laser sessions, because committing you to a fixed number of treatments before knowing how you respond puts the sale ahead of the clinical decision. We reassess after the first block of sessions and continue only if something measurable has improved. If it has not, the right move is changing the plan rather than selling you more of it.
How many sessions should I budget for?+
A typical course of high intensity laser therapy runs 6 to 10 sessions, usually two to three per week initially and then spacing out. That is a planning figure rather than a commitment, since we reassess after the first block and stop if nothing has changed. Ask at your assessment what the realistic range is for your specific injury before you commit financially.
Do I need a doctor's referral to get laser therapy?+
No. Physiotherapy in British Columbia is a direct-access profession, so you can book an assessment without a doctor's referral. Some extended health plans require a referral before they will reimburse you, which is an insurance requirement rather than a clinical one. Check your own policy wording before your first visit if you plan to claim.
Can I get laser therapy without other treatment?+
We do not offer laser as a standalone service. Laser at Medstar is delivered inside a physiotherapy appointment alongside assessment, hands-on treatment, and an exercise programme, because the published evidence measures it that way. The largest effect in the 2022 BMJ Open review came from laser added to exercise therapy rather than from laser used by itself.
Is laser therapy covered by MSP?+
British Columbia's Medical Services Plan covers physical therapy only through supplementary benefits, which are income-tested. MSP contributes $23 per visit up to a combined annual limit of 10 visits per calendar year, and eligibility generally requires an adjusted net income under $42,000 or membership of a listed group such as Income Assistance recipients. For most patients, extended health, ICBC, or WorkSafeBC is the relevant funding route.
What if laser therapy does not work for me?+
We stop and change the plan. After the first block of sessions we reassess against measurable markers such as pain, range of motion, and load tolerance, and if none of those have moved, continuing the same treatment is not justified. That may mean shifting to a different modality, changing the loading programme, or referring you on for imaging or a specialist opinion.
Sources.
- WorkSafeBC: musculoskeletal physiotherapy services for health care providers
- Government of British Columbia: MSP supplementary benefits
Sources checked 4 September 2026.
Not sure laser is the right tool?
Book an assessment. We'll tell you honestly whether the laser helps your injury, or whether something else will do more.
Reviewed by Sanaz Davarian, PT, MSc, Owner & Director, Registered Physiotherapist, College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia (CPTBC). Medstar was the first physiotherapy clinic on the North Shore to install a Class 4 high intensity laser.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. High intensity laser therapy is one tool among several, and it is not appropriate for every injury or every person. Nothing here is a promise of a particular outcome. Treatment suitability is determined case-by-case during clinical assessment. Physiotherapy at Medstar Sport Physio & Health is provided by physiotherapists registered with the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia (CPTBC).