Traditionally, physical therapy requires a doctor’s referral and may incur significant out-of-pocket costs. Hinge Health is a virtual service that addresses these challenges. Hinge Health’s program provides personalized, expert-developed exercise therapy sessions and physical therapy plans for lasting pain relief. The state-of-the-art mobile app developed by Hinge Health monitors and improves your progress.
Hinge Health will be available as part of the Writers’ Guild-Industry Health Fund coverage beginning January 1, 2026.* Whether you are dealing with back or joint pain, recovering from injury, preparing for surgery, or simply aiming to stay active and pain-free, Hinge Health can help. There is no charge to you for their services, assuming you meet Hinge clinical review criteria.
More information about how to sign up and use Hinge Health services will be available at the beginning of 2026. Hinge Health will send you sign up materials and informational brochures; sign up as soon as you receive the materials in order to have the option to use Hinge Health’s services.
*Hinge Health physical therapy is not available to plan participants whose primary coverage is Medicare.
How It Works
You will complete an initial virtual screening that a physical therapist will use to identify your needs and prescribe a treatment plan that aligns with your long-term goals. You will then be provided with access to the Hinge Health app, which will provide you with step-by-step instructions to execute your online physical therapy program, and Hinge will also assign you a comprehensive care team including your physical therapist and a qualified health coach to monitor your progress and be with you every step of the way.
Hinge Health allows you to work with real people who are dedicated to helping you feel your best on your own schedule – no waiting, no fixed times. Access exercise therapy sessions you can do in as little as 15 minutes – anytime, anywhere, making it convenient to incorporate movement into your daily life. You will be provided instant feedback during your exercise sessions with precise motion tracking and audible cues to help ensure you are getting the benefits of your session. All you have to do is take out your phone, tablet, or laptop and open the Hinge Health app. Your physical therapist will monitor your progress, and provide further recommendations if necessary.
If you are recovering from a medical procedure, Hinge Health can also work directly with your doctors to make sure you get physical therapy that is targeted to your condition.
You can contact your physical therapist and/or qualified health coach via text, email, phone call, video chat, or directly in the app. You can ask questions, set goals, and more.
Practicalities
There will be no cost to you to utilize Hinge Health after you sign up, assuming you remain eligible for Writers’ Guild-Industry Health Fund (the “Fund”) coverage and you meet Hinge clinical criteria review. You and your eligible spouses and dependents (18 and older) enrolled in Fund coverage are covered. To get started, you simply fill out an online clinical questionnaire, which takes approximately 10 minutes. You can choose to do as many exercise therapy sessions as you would like, but Hinge Health recommends starting with three 15-minute sessions per week. Your physical therapist and qualified health coach will monitor your progress and suggest additions or modifications to your exercises. They will do everything they can to help you keep up with your program.
Your physical therapy sessions are monitored in the Hinge Health app. All you need is Internet access and space to perform the stretches and exercises. Some exercises may require a table or chair for support, and if this is the case, your Hinge app will let you know. Hinge Health will also provide any exercise materials you may need, like exercise bands, at no cost.
The Bottom Line
Hinge Health provides you with a personalized program tailored to you, a dedicated care team consisting of a physical therapist and health coach, and convenient exercise sessions that you can do whenever and wherever it is convenient. Your sessions are monitored and assessed by skilled and certified staff. All you need is Internet access. No commutes. No waiting rooms. No doctor’s referral needed. No co-pays. Just pain relief.
You will be receiving more information directly from Hinge Health when the program launches (January 1, 2026), after which, Hinge will be your primary source of contact for these services. Should you have any general questions or concerns before then, you can contact the PWGA’s Participant Services: (818) 846-1015 or (800) 227-7863 (follow the menu prompts).