My insurance company covers physical therapy but not massage therapy. Is there a!

My insurance company covers physical therapy but not massage therapy. Is there a way to......?

Is there a type of physical therapy that utilizes massage therapy? My problem is muscle pain from sitting in front of a computer all day. How have others addressed this problem in a way that's covered by health insurance.

Massage therapy can be billed under manual therapy as part of a physical therapy...BUT it has to be part of a comprehensive program with specifically assigned goals such as increasing range of motion and strength, etc.

In most cases, massage therapy is only covering up the real root of a problem (usually poor posture, stress, or cervical disc derrangement). The physical therapy should be aimed at relieving the root of a problem. However, massage therapy can be beneficial as PART of a program...namely I will use it so that patients can TOLERATE doing the corrective exercises or procedures. You must also demonstrate potential to have the problem solved or make progress towards an independent pain management/home exercise program.

But if you need REGULAR massage on an ongoing basis, this is what it called "maintenece" therapy and is not covered by insurance either. In other words, if you are using massage to just "get you through the week," this will not be covered under physical therapy services. (but there is nothing wrong with going that route...you would just need to pay out of pocket for a massage therapist).

I must also emphasize that just because your doctor orders physical therapy for "massage" it will still not be covered by your insurance unless it is part of a comprehensive program that meets the above listed criteria.