Will My Insurance Pay?

Posted: July 24th, 2017

Health insurance can be confusing, especially when it comes to understanding exactly what medical services are covered. For example, what about health insurance coverage for massage therapy? Most people may assume that massage is not covered by medical insurance, but that is not necessarily the case.

When is massage therapy prescribed?

While it's typically considered an alternative form of medical treatment, there are several health instances where massage may be prescribed or recommended by a doctor, often a chiropractor. One of the most common circumstances is for post-accident injuries. In addition, some doctors may recommend this treatment for dealing with pain or chronic pain, depression, and other illnesses.In general, massage therapy is only prescribed by a doctor when the treatment has been shown to generate positive results for patients with similar circumstances. Many doctors will not prescribe it as an experimental treatment, and typically any non-prescriptive treatment will not be covered by insurance.

What types of insurance cover this treatment?

Most health maintenance organization (HMO) and government insurance programs such as Medicare or Medicaid will not cover massage treatments under their plans. There are some exceptions, such as patients in nursing homes who may require massage as a form of maintenance. However, some major medical insurance programs and certain types of corporate insurance may provide health insurance coverage for massage therapy. Large insurance providers such as Blue Cross, Aetna and Humana may cover this treatment, whether directly or through reimbursement. In addition, worker's compensation insurance and some Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policies offered by auto insurance companies may also cover this prescribed treatment. If your doctor has recommended massage therapies, don't automatically assume that your insurance policy will not cover the treatment. Look through your policy documents or ask your insurance provider directly to learn whether you can have this important treatment reimbursed.