Massage therapy taken at a spa is not just to pamper yourself but can prove to have medical benefits too. Massage treatment is gaining popularity after the healthcare professionals started prescribing various massage therapies to patients suffering from anxiety, muscle, and joint pains.

Due to its medical benefits, many insurance companies cover massage therapy under various policies. Although some insurance companies are not willing to cover certain massages as a health-related cost, if you are prescribed a therapeutic or a deep tissue massage, you should check if your insurance covers it.

Here are some tips to know if the massage is covered under your insurance or not so you can go for better coverage next time.

1. Call to verify whether your insurance covers the massage or not?

Before visiting a massage therapy studio, call your insurance company executive to verify if the company covers the prescribed massage or not? If yes, you need to check the number of visits you can make and the length of time for each visit, under insurance coverage.

There are certain diagnoses written by specific doctors covered under many insurance coverages. You need to ask the executive what kind of a doctor should write the diagnosis, to avoid any inconvenience at a later stage. If not, then you need to clarify the type of determination to be written.

Some insurance companies offer massage coverage only in a limited area. Ask the company about the city or locality covered under the insurance. If you need to take a massage in Calgary regularly and your insurance plan is not hiding it, it's time to change your coverage.

2.Tell your doctor to mention the massage therapy on the prescription:

Several working professionals work long hours on the computer or keep standing as part of their job and face lower back pains. Their lifestyle cannot be changed due to work policies, so the best option for them is to take regular massages to reduce the pain and feel relaxed.

Describe your working lifestyle and the complete history of the issue to your doctor. If you and your doctor think that the massage therapy would be fruitful in healing this issue, ask him to state this on your prescription.

3.Get a prescription for the most general diagnosis:

A massage therapist can suggest a specific massage but can't prescribe it to you. Only a doctor understands your issue and based on your medical history, and he can prescribe you a particular message. Pain in some part of your body may be due to the exertion you give on other parts of your body. In such a case, if your doctor writes the exact pain point in your body, the therapist cannot find the root cause of the pain and will only provide the massage on the pain areas. So it is better to ask your doctor to write a general diagnosis on the prescription.

4. Avoid mentioning the frequency and the number of massages on your prescription.

The treatment works best when a patient cooperates with the doctor and the therapists. The number of visits cannot decide when a client will be pain-free. Sometimes a change in a patient habit can also result in getting a problem fixed. A therapist's goal is to send his patient home pain-free. Mentioning the number of visits and the frequency of massages may result in your therapist been compensating for overtime.

Final word

A properly performed massage therapy can help reduce pain in different areas of your body and treat muscle pain, joint pains, and migraines. Our therapists not just treat you with care but help you learn self-care too. At Phoenix Massage we offer direct billing for massages in NE Calgary for a wide array of therapeutic massage services. Contact us today!