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Massage Insurance Billing Resource

Should You Accept Insurance?

There usually comes a time in every massage therapist's career where he or she wonders if billing insurance companies for clients' care is the right move to make. It is a big decision, and requires a comprehensive understanding of the complex arrangement between the client, the referring physician (if required), and you.

Insurance companies only pay for services that are considered medically necessary. Therefore, you must first accept that as a practitioner billing insurance for services, you are considered to be a health-care provider. You must be comfortable with the concept of being part of the health-care system. If that doesn't feel right for you, your answer is clear: you will not bill insurance for your services.

You also need to educate yourself about the different types of coverage, and know the difference between first-, second-, and third-party billing. You must be willing and able to undertake a never-ending process of research: each state and each insurance company has its own policies and procedures, and you will need to stay compliant. You will spend a great deal of time researching laws, trends, insurance codes, and procedures for working with medical professionals, insurance companies, and attorneys—not just once, but continuously, as this information is always changing.

Insurance billing is a huge topic, and we can only scratch the surface here. These links are a good starting point:

Medical Insurance Billing Services

The following sources can provide additional information:

  • Vivian Madison-Mahoney, LMT, has been educating massage therapists about massage insurance billing and marketing for more than 30 years. She’s a long-time resource on this subject for ABMP members. For more information, she prefers you text her at 865-850-3195 and she will respond as soon as possible. You can also email her at vivianmadison@gmail.com or visit www.massageinsurancebilling.com.
  • Active myofascial therapist and business-success coach Irene Diamond works with therapists who want to grow their practices, make more money, and have more happiness. Massage & Bodywork readers can request a free audio CD in which Diamond interviews three other experts in the massage profession about their secrets to success. For more information, visit www.irenediamond.com.
  • Body Well Therapy is an LMT-owned and managed massage-services company, specializing in massage for injury victims through insurance (primarily auto and workers' comp claims). Body Well offers therapists who don't want to handle their own insurance billing the opportunity to work with these clients as a Body Well independent contractor. Body Well directly coordinates and bills therapy services. Clients may request any specific qualified massage therapist they wish to provide their therapy. Requested therapists not already under contract can be easily contracted by Body Well to provide the prescribed services at a specified frequency, and at a guaranteed rate of pay per session. Services can occur at a client's home or in a massage establishment. Services are available in all states that license massage therapists. Therapists can learn more at www.bodywelltherapy.com/accept-insurance-massage, or call 888-929-9355.