How to Get Insurance to Approve a Massage

Alternative therapy is gaining respect in the medical community. People get massages to relieve pain, rehabilitate sports injuries, reduce stress, increase relaxation, address anxiety and depression and aid general wellness. Not all health insurance companies include massage therapy in their benefits coverage plan but many do. The key is to find out which ones do and to get over any "hurdles" which may prevent a payment reimbursement for this type of alternative therapy.

Instructions

• 1

  Verify that your insurance plan covers alternative health care methods such as massage therapy. Read through the plan's coverage documents. Call the insurance contact telephone number or employee benefits counselor and ask if alternative health care is covered in your plan. Ask if there are any stipulations that must be followed to have massage therapy expenses covered.

• 2

  Get a prescription from your primary physician. Speak with your doctor about the benefits of massage therapy for your individual health situation. Ask for as many sessions as possible.

• 3

  Make sure the massage therapist you intend to get treatment from is fully licensed and within your insurance company's network of approved massage therapist locations.

• 4

  If massage therapy isn't covered in your specific insurance plan, ask if they offer a "rider." A rider is an amendment that modifies the policy's coverage in some way (for example, by increasing or decreasing its benefits). You may be able to purchase a rider for alternative therapy coverage.