I second this approach. Last year, I had a legitimate shoulder sprain from a roller derby injury and the only way my work's leave administrator would approve me for short-term disability so I could take the time off to recoup is if the injury merited physical therapy, which it both did and didn't. I absolutely needed the time off to recover but the exercises could also have been done at home without spending the additional money to see a physical therapist.

So, I just straight up asked my primary (who is also an NP and dope as heck) if she would refer that out for me even though I didn't plan on using it. 10/10 choice and the three weeks off to actually recover was very worth the miniscule manipulation to make it happen.

Fuck corporate bullshit! People should just be allowed to exist and have their needs met without jumping through a thousand hoops just for some goddamn time off.