“Alternative Therapies” – Should Massage be Covered by Health Insurance?
My son lives in Toronto with his wife and two children. Each year, he receives 12 visits to a highly qualified Massage Therapist included as part of his very reasonably priced insurance coverage. Any additional visits beyond these 12 come with a 20% reduction on his direct out-of-pocket cost. What an excellent idea! I would love to see this type of action or something similar here in the U.S.
There is growing evidence that Massage Therapy can be effective for managing certain conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, and musculoskeletal disorders. Coverage could certainly be justified based on these therapeutic benefits alone. Moreover, Massage can complement conventional treatments, potentially reducing the need for more invasive or costly interventions.
Regular Massage may prevent more serious health issues, potentially lowering overall healthcare costs by reducing the need for medications or surgeries. Proactive and preventive!
For workplace health, Massage Therapy has been shown to reduce absenteeism and improve productivity, which can be financially beneficial for employers and insurers. It also reduces turnover and workmen’s comp claims.
However, the way it’s structured currently here in the U.S., an individual is forced to pay out-of-pocket for “alternative therapies” that aren’t seen as the government sanctioned way of approach or have FDA approval.
From my perspective this becomes a socio/economic issue, where only those in the more upper level income brackets can afford and benefit from these “alternative” therapies. Fortunately, I have many opportunities to serve lower income workers at certain employment venues. Many of these people have never had a Massage before. No matter how much benefit they receive from their one session with me though, follow-up Massage Therapy is unlikely to happen for them.
At the end of the day, allowing Massage Therapy to be included (and other complementary therapies) within standard health insurance benefits would involve fine-tuning benefits, costs, and integrating it into how the system currently works.
My hope is that as the understanding of Massage Therapy’s benefits continues to grow, it will begin to influence future insurance policies and coverage options.
And, this discussion apart, is your body responding to the idea of a good Massage? I would welcome hearing from you and seeing you!
By Scott Patton
Professional Massage Therapist