Massage Therapy Insurance

When cash is offered or insurance is not mentioned, by all means take a cash payment. That way, you will be paid your full fee. Insurance will give you a certain dollar amount or a percentage payment after deductible, but very seldom will they pay your fee in full.Some clients may need medical massage and have a doctor's referral but just don't have the cash to pay you. The only way they can get treatment is to find a massage therapist who will accept insurance payments.

Dealing with medical insurance can be a real hassle, but if it brings in some new clients and you get paid, it may be well worth it.

Always call the insurance company, preferably prior to the appointment to see if medical massage is a covered expense and to see if you are a covered provider under that particular plan. Ask how much the plan pays and what, if any, the client's copay or deductible and coinsurance is.

Collect the copay or deductible and/or coinsurance on the day of treatment from the client. Make a copy, front and back, of the insurance card.

After treatment, fill out a universal HCFA billing form (there is computer software for this) and mail it to the correct claims address on the insurance card.

Of course you will need to know how to code your claim for insurance reimbursement.You will have to put the ICD-9 diagnosis code on the HCFA claim form as well.

You will also need to know some additional information before you can file the claim.

Perhaps you can get a part time receptionist to make all of your massage therapy insurance phone calls and submit billings. If not, you may be swamped with phone calls and paperwork for a while. This can cut down on the time you have for actual massages.

With some insurance companies, being paid is all about being in a network of covered providers. You may want to look into joining some of these networks.

You may also choose to treat clients who have had an occupational injury (they got hurt on the job). In this case, workers compensation will pay you for treatments you perform on clients according to the workers compensation instructions, but only if you are an approved massage therapist.

Worker's Compensation

To become a health care provider for this program, contact the board in the state where you live. The board will have to approve you before you can give massage therapy to employees with occupational injuries who are making a claim.

Once approved, the state board will give you a health care provider number. You will need to include it on all claims filed for reimbursement.

Before treatment, you, the massage therapist, will also need a physician's referral for each client, giving you the number of treatments and the specific types of treatment the physician feels will benefit the client. Follow this to the letter and the state will reimburse you. If you deviate, you will not get paid for all of your services to clients with an occupational injury.

The state will pay you in full up to the reasonable and customary amount they have determined. The client is not responsible for paying any type of deductible, coinsurance, or copayment. Massage therapy insurance payments through worker's compensation can be lucrative for your practice.

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