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How to get started accepting Insurance in your practice
Hi, I am new to the group and also have started,recently, my own practice. I was trying to figure out the best route to take to find out about accepting insurance and where to get the best information on this. I do have my medical massage license. I have never had a client with Insurance work yet, but would like to be prepared. I have been asked if I accept insurance. Where to start????
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jody C. Hutchinson on
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Pamela,
I am wondering where you got your "medical massage license." I only know of medical massage certifications. Since there is no CPT code for medical massage, how are you going to proceed? Did the agency/school/person giving you the license teach you how to do the billing?
Just curious,
jh
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Permalink Reply by Pete L Blanco II on
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There is much involved in working with insurance - more IMO than can be explained within the confines of a message board thread. I would greatly encourage you to take a class in insurance billing tailored to massage therapists. I would check with the local schools to see if they offer such a class. If you can't find a class locally, the class offered by LMT Success Group is excellent. They're based in Florida, but offer classes throughout the US. http://www.lmtsuccessgroup.com/ContinuingEducation/MedicalMassageIn...
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Permalink Reply by Chris Reynolds on
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Try contacting some of the local industries! Some of them have wellness programs in place, where their employees are actually allowed to receive up to two massages per month and the company sends you a check after you send them the proper paperwork! The initial process may take a couple of months to get your first payment, but once it starts, you are good to go. We have 2 companies in my area that do this.
As far as accepting other medical insurance, don't know what to tell you. It was too much of a headache! You would need to call each persons insurance company to check on that, then they may also have to have a doctor referral before they can get a massage. When that happens, it's a good idea to actually call the doctors office that referred the client and get it in writing.
Some auto insurance companies have what is called Medpay! Where they offer a certain amount for clients to use for rehabilitation after an auto accident, here again, call the local insurance agencies to see which ones do offer this.
In some cases insurance may reimburse the client after they have paid for the massage themselves! Some clients may misunderstand this, so make sure you get paid up front or have in writing that you are going to be paid for your services! Don't take any ones word for it!
The state you live in also plays a big role! Whats acceptable in one state may not be in another! I've had license in 2 states at the same time, as I live near the border of each, what worked in one didn't always work in the other!
Hope this helps!
Wish you the best of luck
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As I understand it, the term "medical massage" typically refers to massage that is A) prescribed by a physician, B) paid for by insurance and/or C) performed for the purpose of rehabilitating an injury/improving a chronic pain condition and is used primarily by those practitioners in an effort to distinguish that work from "wellness" massage where the client is typically paying out of pocket. It doesn't necessarily mean that we are dispensing medicines and/or working under the direct supervision of a medical doctor.
Aside from Health Insurance plans, which may or not cover massage therapy depending on the options purchased, massage is commonly covered by automobile insurance as well as worker's compensation, so when we discuss accepting/billing insurance, it's important to keep in mind that there are three very separate and distinct types of insurance - each having its own system of rules to be understood and navigated - and those rules vary greatly from state to state.
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Permalink Reply by Laura Allen on
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There is no such thing anywhere in the US as a "medical massage license."
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Permalink Reply by Pamela Kelly on
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Jody C. Hutchinson said:Pamela,
I am wondering where you got your "medical massage license." I only know of medical massage certifications. Since there is no CPT code for medical massage, how are you going to proceed? Did the agency/school/person giving you the license teach you how to do the billing?
Just curious,
jh
Judy, I posted a while back, but I don't see that it is here. I am certified by LMT success Group, but it was about 3 or 4 years ago. I have not actively tried to get into the insurance billing, but I have people asking if I can bill insurance. I know that you sometimes have to be a preferred provider, and such. I am just wondering where to get started to find out some of the details. thank you for your information. I was trying to find things around me, I will continue researching. Pam
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Thank you for responding, your response was a very good one. Great information. Thank you, Pam
Chris Reynolds said:Try contacting some of the local industries! Some of them have wellness programs in place, where their employees are actually allowed to receive up to two massages per month and the company sends you a check after you send them the proper paperwork! The initial process may take a couple of months to get your first payment, but once it starts, you are good to go. We have 2 companies in my area that do this.
As far as accepting other medical insurance, don't know what to tell you. It was too much of a headache! You would need to call each persons insurance company to check on that, then they may also have to have a doctor referral before they can get a massage. When that happens, it's a good idea to actually call the doctors office that referred the client and get it in writing.
Some auto insurance companies have what is called Medpay! Where they offer a certain amount for clients to use for rehabilitation after an auto accident, here again, call the local insurance agencies to see which ones do offer this.
In some cases insurance may reimburse the client after they have paid for the massage themselves! Some clients may misunderstand this, so make sure you get paid up front or have in writing that you are going to be paid for your services! Don't take any ones word for it!
The state you live in also plays a big role! Whats acceptable in one state may not be in another! I've had license in 2 states at the same time, as I live near the border of each, what worked in one didn't always work in the other!
Hope this helps!
Wish you the best of luck
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Permalink Reply by Amy - LMT & Licensed Esthetician on
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I was going to suggest she read your book Laura! Best book out there! http://www.lauraallenmt.com/
Laura Allen said:There is no such thing anywhere in the US as a "medical massage license."
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Permalink Reply by Julie Onofrio on
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I have an introductory book on it - http://massagepracticebuilder.com/massage-insurance-billing/
It really is about understanding the industry and figuring out what you need to ask ins. companies, clients, doctors and lawyers in order to get paid. In most states you can bill for car accidents and workers comp. You have to find out if you can in your state. There are also more health ins. companies willingly paying for massage. There is also a chance that massage might be covered under Obamacare eventually.
and no there really isn't anything such as a medical massage license so wonder what you got-
Julie
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