Massage therapy is ready to become a standard part of healthcare. As massage therapists, we can play a very big part in overcoming the Opioid epidemic as well as being a part of healthcare in general for rehabilitation from injuries and surgeries. Massage therapy is also best used for helping ease depression and anxiety and many of the physical issues associated with those conditions. Massage therapy can be used to ease the pain and distress of pregnancy, headaches, insomnia and many more health issues. Racism is also now being listed as a public health issue.
Getting massage therapy covered by health insurance is way overdue. The lack of advocacy and support in this arena is beyond mind boggling. 2010 came and went with the creation of the Affordable Care Act and the massage profession failed to act on the provisions that would allow massage therapists to become part of healthcare and billing health insurance for medically necessary massage therapy.
WA State has been the leader in this area, being able to bill health insurance since about 1993 after a long battle occurred between the health insurance carriers and the insurance commissioner, Deborah Senn who created the Every Category Law. See the complete history of the creation and enactment of the Every Category Law. “Issues in Complementary and Alternative Medicine From the Report of the Clinician Workgroup on the Integration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.” January 2000. Washington State on www.massagepracticebuilder.com
History of Massage Therapy in Healthcare
We have a long history of advocating for change, yet we are not very far along in achieving the recognition and standardization our profession deserves. Active participation in legislative and regulatory processes is essential for the massage therapy field. When massage therapists fail to engage in these crucial discussions, they risk having decisions made by external entities such as insurance companies, healthcare organizations, and government bodies that do not fully understand or prioritize their needs. This can lead to unfavorable regulations and policies that hinder the growth and recognition of the profession.
One of the primary challenges faced by massage therapists is the inconsistency in licensing laws across different states. Additionally, the absence of standardized educational requirements and the ongoing struggle for recognition as legitimate healthcare providers further complicate matters. A fragmented approach to advocacy and a lack of unified representation in policy-making exacerbate these issues, making it imperative for massage therapists to band together and advocate for their interests.
Building strong relationships with other healthcare providers and policymakers is crucial to ensuring that massage therapy is appropriately represented within the broader healthcare system. By taking a proactive stance in advocating for their profession, massage therapists can help shape policies that support their growth and sustainability. Without this active involvement, the profession risks being sidelined or having its interests overlooked in critical policy decisions.
What do we need to do to get massage therapy covered by Medicare/Medicaid and Health Insurance
First having a Practice Framework along with educational standards, practice standards and more consistent education in massage schools across the US could help in creating an image that Massage is Therapy and is a profession.
We have things in place like the ELAP, the WA State Every Category Law and even the Affordable Care Act in place that has language that could be used to get massage therapy covered by insurance.
The main concern of course is the low pay that insurance providers have to accept when they are under contract with these companies. The massage therapy profession has yet to do a survey that shows the income and expenses of the massage profession in every state to show the insurance companies the cost of doing business. They are used to Doctors and Physical therapists an other profession that see multipe patients at once and for short periods of time which allow them to bill for more people in one hour. A massage session often lasts a full hour plus prep time and clean up time, making profitablity a challenge when accepting insurance. An insurance provider once told me that when they do not have that data from the profession, they make it up…yes…there is that.