Insurance & Massage

Yes… No… Maybe… These answers are all correct.

Let me explain.

Yes, insurance can pay for massage and bodywork.
At Ohana Therapeutic Massage, we have successfully billed auto accident and workers compensation insurance companies for injury rehabilitation and pain management. With these cases, you must be injured in a car accident or on the job and the case must be open at the time of service. Your physician (or chiropractor) must deem that massage and bodywork is a beneficial treatment and provide a prescription stating medical necessity, your massage therapist must get prior authorization to provide therapy, the appropriate paperwork must be filled out, then therapy can be provided.

Insurance may REIMBURSE you for massage and bodywork.
The other way people have used insurance to pay for massage and bodywork is with a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flex Spending Account (FSA). With both of these cases, money is set aside to be used for out-of-pocket medical expenses. To use this money to pay for your sessions, you must get a prescription from your doctor stating the massage sessions are medical necessity, get prior approval from your insurance company, then supply the appropriate paperwork for your insurance company.

No, insurance won’t pay for massage and bodywork.
If your insurance provider is federally funded, in any way, it will not pay for massage. Period. I’ve heard rumors that IF someone were to complete a pain management program that included massage therapy, and IF the massage therapist works under the scope of a doctor, the insurance company MAY pay for massage sessions. I have never heard of this successfully happening.

Insurance MAY pay for massage and bodywork.
Massage and bodywork was once an included service with some major medical insurance companies. You would, of course, have to have a prescription stating medical necessity, get prior authorization, and fill out the appropriate paperwork… That’s a pattern with insurance companies…
Though, since the Health Care Reform took effect, I have not seen a major medical insurance company that states it will pay for massage or bodywork provided at an independent clinic. Yours could though. You would simply have to call and ask.

Please note
There are no guarantees in life. Even if you go through the right channels, fill out all the appropriate paperwork, and benefit greatly from the therapy, your insurance company could still refuse to pay for your sessions. If this were to happen, you are responsible for paying the balance on your account.

In conclusion
You will never know if your massage and bodywork sessions will be covered by your insurance unless you ask them. The worst they can say is no, the best they can say is yes. Either way we are here to help you reduce your pain, decrease your stress and increase your quality of life!

Warmly,
Paula VanBaalen, owner Ohana Therapeutic Massage