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Massage therapy coverage is a very popular health insurance benefit that is used regularly by many people.
Not surprising, considering how a massage feels great and is very relaxing!
But is massage therapy really a valid health insurance benefit? And how much coverage for registered massage therapists is actually provided by a typical health insurance plan?
Read on and we will explore these questions together.
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Massage therapy is simply the act of massaging with the purpose of facilitating wellness and healing in a patient.
When we refer to massage therapy in the context of insurance coverage we are always talking about massage performed by a registered massage therapist (i.e. a person who has studied and received accreditation for therapeutic massage).
Massage therapy is classified as a paramedical coverage, which also includes benefits for treatment by chiropractors, psychologists and physiotherapists (to name just a few).
Massage therapy feels great and also has the following health benefits:
Massage therapy is widely used to treat both chronic ands acute medical conditions that can result from either an injury or illness.
Provincial healthcare plans such as OHIP, AHCIP and MSI form the basis of the universal Canadian healthcare system.
These publicly funded healthcare plans provide coverage for medically necessary services only, however. As a result, most registered massage therapy is not covered by public healthcare.
The exception to this may be massage therapy that is received in a hospital and is deemed necessary to the recovery of a patient.
There are two main types of private health insurance in Canada: employee benefits and individual health insurance plans.
Employee benefits are also called “group insurance”, and coverage is obtained through your employer. If you lose your job then you also lose your benefits coverage.
Massage therapy is just one of the coverages that come under what is called “paramedical” benefits. As mentioned previously, paramedical coverage consists of things such as chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, naturopaths and speech therapy.
The following summarizes employee benefits coverage for massage therapists:
Individual health insurance is also called “family health insurance” or “personal health insurance”. It is not obtained via an employer, rather, it is purchased on an individual basis.
Coverage remains in force for as long as the premiums are paid.
Similar to group insurance, individual health plans also categorize massage therapy as a paramedical coverage.
Unlike group insurance, individual plans usually have “per visit” maximums and some plans also have a maximum number of visits per year.
Per-visit maximums are usually around $20 per visit.
The following summarizes massage therapy coverage via personal health insurance plans:
Summary:
Check with your Human resources department to know if you have massage para medical coverage and if a doctor’s note is required and “How much your plan covers per treatment % and $ per claim.
Health care options such as massage therapy have proved to be a viable and beneficial form of treatment for individuals with a variety of health ailments. More and more doctors are prescribing massage therapy to individuals with injuries, illnesses and chronic health conditions.
Massage therapy treatment from a registered massage therapist can treat health conditions such as back and neck pain, sports injuries, headaches, whiplash and many other common issues. It is also an effective form of treatment for other conditions, such as anxiety, depression, stress and even some diseases, such as cancer, stroke and arthritis. Massage therapy can be beneficial at any age.
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