Two classes can look nearly identical from the doorway — small group, reformers, a clinician in the room — and be completely different products with completely different rebate treatment. Here is how to tell which one you want.
Clinical classes are rehabilitation
Clinical classes are capped at four people and led by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist. Everyone in the room is doing a different program, because each program was written for that person after an individual assessment.
You cannot walk into one. There is an initial consultation first, then at least one private session so you know your own program, and only then the class. That structure is not gatekeeping; it is what makes the class safe with four people in it.
Pilates is training
Reformer Pilates and Studio Pilates are capped at six and led by comprehensively trained Pilates instructors. Everyone does broadly the same class, adapted as needed. No assessment is required, and you can start this week.
We run 40+ reformer classes a week across five styles, from Beginner Reformer through to Jumpboard. The timetable and live availability are in the app.
Now the rebate, which is where people get caught
Clinical classes are individually prescribed and clinician-supervised, so they are generally claimable on private health extras — provided your policy covers that clinician’s profession. If your extras include physiotherapy only, the class has to be physiotherapist-led.
Pilates-based classes are not claimable. That is not our policy; it has applied to every clinic in Australia since the Federal Government’s private health insurance reform in April 2019, and it applies even when a physiotherapist delivers the class.
The classes in between
Fit Over 50, Balance Bones & Strength and Strength & Conditioning sit in our performance classes and may be claimable once you have completed an initial assessment and a clinician has prescribed them as part of your treatment plan.
Because eligibility depends on your specific policy rather than on the class name, ask us for a HICAPS quote before you start. We can run it at reception and show you the rebate and the gap before you commit — which is a better plan than assuming either way.
Which should you pick?
If something hurts, or you are recovering from surgery, or you have not exercised in years and are nervous about it: clinical. If you are broadly well and want to get stronger and move better: Pilates or performance.
Plenty of people start clinical and move across once their program is theirs — that progression is normal, and it is cheaper.
Forge West End is at Unit 4, 249 Montague Road, West End. Book online or call 07 3844 0686 — we are open from 6am Monday to Friday.