Massage and Insurance

Alternative title: "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"Here is some nitty, gritty information regarding massage therapy and insurance coverage.  For massage therapy to be covered, it must be MEDICALLY NECESSARY and a prescription must be written for massage therapy.  Your prescription must include:~ diagnosis code~ how of often you may have treatment~ how long you may have treatmentEx: Massage therapy for neck strain, 1x a week for 6 weeks (strictly an example of what your prescription should look like, not an indication of what should be written on your prescription.)Major Medical Plans In Florida, if a health care plan covers massage therapy, the insurance company must pay anyone licensed to provide massage therapy.  (A nice loophole for this is a “self-insured” insurance plan, such as the one provided by Bay Medical.)  Specific Florida StatuteSpecial note: Massage Therapists are not in-network providers with Blue Cross Blue Shield.  Your out-of-network deductible will apply and the massage benefits are paid for at the out-of-network level.When calling your insurance company to verify your benefits, here are some questions you will want to ask:~ Is massage therapy covered?~ What is your deductible~ Do you have a copay?~ How many visits are covered a year?Auto InsuranceYou may not know, but as of January 1, 2013, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) specifically EXCLUDES massage therapy.  The legislation pushed through by Rick Scott, also limits access to medical care, limits some coverage, and has some specific time limits.   What this means: If you are in an auto accident, your PIP coverage will not pay for any massage therapy for your injuries.  (Auto Insurance is another loophole to the above statute.)Specific Florida Statute regarding the new PIP law.New Florida PIP Law: How It Affects Injured Motorists' Rights (reader friendly article)The new law does not apply to Medical Payment benefits, but please consult your insurance agent for specific questions regarding your personal coverage.There has been an attempt to protect the rights of consumers and massage therapists; however the judge refused to hear the case.More information about that movement is here.Affordable Healthcare ActSection 2706 of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 promises "non-discrimination in health care."   How this will work out is yet to be seen, massage has the potential to be covered by health insurance.   This is some information about an effort by The Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium to make sure massage therapy is covered.Rianne is a provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield.  At this time insurance cannot be billed at the Tyndall location by the provider.Post #10 of 20 in the February Challenge, check it out!