Clients occasionally ask if they can use their health insurance to cover their massage therapy appointments. Private health insurance companies in North Carolina generally do not include coverage for therapeutic massage in their traditional health plans at this time.
However, there are some instances where you may be able to receive payment assistance through other programs or forms of insurance. We are happy to provide detailed receipts (“superbills”) that you may submit for third-party reimbursement.
Regardless of your situation and insurance provider, you may need a doctor’s referral, or Letter of Medical Necessity, to treat a specific medical condition. Please let us know if you need assistance obtaining a Letter of Medical Necessity.
Here are some instances in which you may be able to have insurance pay for some or all of your therapeutic massage treatments:
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- Health Savings Accounts (HSA): Some health insurance companies offer high deductible plans that may be paired with a health savings account. A health savings account is a bank account that you use to pay for qualified medical expenses with tax-free contributions (deposits). So while you are still paying directly, there are substantial savings available through the tax advantages.
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): While technically not insurance, flexible spending accounts can be another way to reduce the cost of therapeutic massage through your employer’s payroll and benefits package. Like, health savings accounts, these programs allow you to use pre-tax income to pay for specific medical expenses. Some employers also contribute funds to this account as part of their employee’s benefits package.
- Veterans Community Care Network (CCN): This coverage is included in the health benefits provided to veterans through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). If you are a veteran interested in using your VA benefits to pay for therapeutic massage, contact us for more information.
- Personal Insurance (Injury) Protection (PIP): Sometimes referred to as “MedPay”, this type of insurance is an extension of auto insurance plans and covers medical bills for injuries resulting from auto accidents. This coverage typically requires you to pay for services out-of-pocket and then submit documentation to the insurance company of the “at fault” driver for reimbursement. If you are working with an attorney, they may be able to help you with this process.
- Worker’s Compensation Insurance: Therapeutic massage for work related injuries can often be covered by worker’s compensation insurance. If you’ve been involved in an accident at work, check with your worker’s compensation insurance provider to see if massage therapy is covered.