Do Massage Therapists Need An Npi Number
Even if you do not bill directly for services, if you work with organizations that do submit HIPAA-covered claims, you may need an NPI. … Massage therapists, as of 2007, have the option to obtain an NPI. Other heatlh care providers such as doctors, dentists, and physical therapists, also register for and receive NPIs.
More About Your Medical Benefits Package
We cover preventive care services, like:
- Health exams
- Health education
- Immunization against infectious diseases
- Counseling on genetic diseases
We cover inpatient hospital services, like:
- Surgeries
- Kidney dialysis
- Acute care
- Specialized care .
We cover urgent and emergency care services, like:
- Urgent or emergency care at some VA health facilities.
- Urgent care for injuries and illnesses that need attention right away, but aren’t life threatening, at urgent care locations that are part of our contracted network. This may include care at a VA-approved:
- Walk-in retail health clinic for minor illnesses like a sore throat or earache
- Urgent care facility for more pressing illnesses or injuries that require treatment like splinting, casting, or wound care
We cover other services and needs, like:
- Mental health services to treat certain issues like posttraumatic stress disorder , military sexual trauma , depression, and substance use problems.
We may cover services that your VA primary care provider concludes you need to support your treatment , like:
- Tests used to diagnose health conditions, including blood work, X-rays, and ultrasounds
- Therapy and rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, vision rehab, and therapy for traumatic brain injury
- Additional services, including prosthetic items, audiology , and radiation oncology
You may be able to get help with some non-medical services, like:
Yes.
At Utb Via Community Care Program
Unlocking The Body is excited to announce that we have been approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Community Care Provider for Massage Therapy by the VA Office of Community Care in the Puget Sound Region. Community Care Program also provides many other Alternative Therapy Benefits and can be inquired about by the Veteran through their PCP or local VA Office such as Hypnotherapy, Biofeedback, Relaxation Techniques, Tai Chi, and Native American Healing.
Massage Therapy and care for our Veterans go hand in hand and can help with various physical injuries and other ailing conditions. Chronic pain, sleep disorders, stress related issues, and many other accepted diagnoses are now eligible for a Massage Therapy treatment plan under your VA benefits. Research suggests Massage Therapy can be a viable alternative to treating pain and decreasing pain med usage, potentially helping restore function to diminished activities of daily living thereby increasing quality of life, and may even decrease some symptoms of PTSD.
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Examples Of Benefits That Are Covered Include:
- hearing aids
- hearing accessories
- dispensing and fitting fees for hearing aids
If the benefits covered by VAC do not meet your particular needs, your hearing health professional may submit a request to VAC to provide coverage for a different type of auditory aid. The hearing health professional must provide, in writing, the following information:
- the standard hearing benefit already tried
- the difficulty or lack of satisfaction experienced with the standard hearing benefit
- the proposed replacement hearing aid and,
- the rationale for the selection of the replacement hearing aid.
Types Of Massage Therapy
Massage therapy has been defined as the systematic manipulation of soft tissue with the hands that positively affects and promotes healing, reduces stress, enhances muscle relaxation, improves local circulation, and creates a sense of well-being. Types of massage therapy include the following:
- Swedish massage involves stroking and kneading the body using various methods. 5 basic massage techniques are used, including:
- Effleuragestroking with various degrees of pressure. This is what most people think of when they think of a massage.
- Petrissagea kneading motion, done with the fingers and thumbs in a circular pattern
- Tapotementrhythmic, vigorous tapping or slapping done to stimulate deep tissues
- Frictionuse of the palm, forearm, heel of the hand, or even the elbows to roll, ring, and compress tissue
- Vibrationcan be done using hands or using a machine
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Alternatives To Massage Therapy
Getting a massage can be expensive, but there are a few alternatives to consider. These include:
- You may want to try a handheld massager that has various settings that you can apply to sore areas on your body.
- You may want to get a massage chair that can help you get a massage at home. Some of them also apply heat to the affected area.
- Consider giving acupuncture a try. This may be covered by your insurance provider.
- You may also want to reach out to a local chiropractor. Chiropractic care is sometimes covered by insurance.
Does Medicaid Cover Physical Therapy
- Find out if Medicaid covers physical therapy sessions in your state. You can also discover whether copayment is required and if there are any service limitations.
Physical therapy can help with a wide range of ailments, from arthritis to stroke and traumatic brain injury. It can help restore function, relieve pain and improve mobility, reducing the need for medication and maintaining health and fitness. Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including inpatient, outpatient and community-based health care centers.
Continue reading to discover whether your Medicaid insurance plan might cover the cost of physical therapy for you.
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What Documents Are Required For Enrollment As A Veteran
In order to certify for enrollment, we will need your DD214, eligibility letter and transcripts from any previous college. We will also have you sign an acknowledgment that you received our VA Bulletin. All of this is collected by the Financial Aid Department and then forwarded to our certifying official to complete once you start school.
What Are The Negative Side Effects Of Acupuncture
The risks of acupuncture are low if you have a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner using sterile needles. Common side effects include soreness and minor bleeding or bruising where the needles were inserted. Single-use, disposable needles are now the practice standard, so the risk of infection is minimal.
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Does Medicare Cover Massage Therapy
- Find out the answer to the question does Medicare cover massage therapy, including information about what’s covered by Medigap and Medicare Advantage policies.
Massage therapy isn’t just an effective way to relax it can also help treat various health conditions. However, ongoing massage therapy can be expensive, so many people want to know if their health care insurance will help them cover the costs. Does Medicare cover massage therapy? Find out the answer below as well as whether it will pay for any alternatives.
Will Medicaid Pay For Massage Therapy
Similar to Medicare, Medicaid usually does not cover the cost of a massage. Medicaid is administered on a state-to-state basis. Therefore, you will need to take a look at the regulations related to Medicaid in your specific state for more information. In general, Medicaid does not cover the cost of a massage however, if you are in the hospital, and the hospital orders massage therapy as part of your treatment, Medicaid may cover the cost of that specific treatment. Again, if your doctor orders massage therapy, you have a better chance of getting this treatment covered.
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Veterans Administration Recognizes Massage Therapists
June 27, 2019 By
The Veterans Administration has recently announced their Qualification Standards for hiring massage therapists and created the GS pay scale for massage therapists.
This is big news for the massage profession. It has taken over 20 years for the VA to create a category in their system to allow massage therapists to be hired as massage therapists. So now massage therapists can be hired by the VA to work in their health clinics and be paid wages and benefits. While this is amazing in itself, it is the fact that the VA has created a job description along with educational standards that are required for the job something that the massage profession has failed to do for itself in the US EVER!
When other powers that be, start to define the profession for us we lose control over our future. While the VA has done an excellent job with the language and requirements, this should have been done by the massage profession namely the AMTA.
Why Doesnt Medicare Cover Massage Therapy
According to Medicare, massage therapy is considered an alternative treatment. This means that it is not covered under Original Medicare, which includes Medicare part A and B. Medicare Part B does cover some types of therapy. For example, if you require physical therapy, speech therapy, or occupational therapy, Medicare may cover the expenses related to these types of therapy. There are also some conditions where acupuncture may be covered by Medicare part A or Medicare Part B.
If you have Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, some of the costs related to massage therapy might be covered. If you want to get the cost of massage therapy covered, you’ll need to talk to your doctor to see if they will order massage therapy for you. In this case, Medicare Part C might cover the cost of massage therapy.
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Verifying Insurance Coverage & Reimbursement For Massage Therapy
At the current time, there is no standard coverage for massage therapy services within large insurance providers. This means getting coverage comes down to the reason for care and how that care is defined to the insurance company. Usually, if the treatment is medically necessary, or it fits the criteria of coverage provided by the insurance company, your client will be covered and you will be reimbursed. Additionally, if the services fit into the category of âhabilitative or habilitation treatment,â it may be considered an essential health benefit and your client will receive coverage. Many insurance companies deem massage therapy necessary in the acute phase of treatment, rather than as a long term care procedure.
An easy way to increase your chances of massage therapy being covered by insurance is to ask your clients to obtain a referral from their primary care physician. In a recent survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association, 67% of respondents indicated that their primary physician recommended they receive massage therapy. A prescription or referral from a physician is important for reimbursement because massage therapists are not licensed to diagnose medical conditions. With a referral from a doctor, the massage therapist can include the ICD-10 diagnostic code and referring provider on their CMS-1500 form, and increase their chances of reimbursement.
Your Soft Tissues And You:
Your muscles are made up of many small, thin fibers that contract on command, working together to mobilize your muscle groups. These muscles are attached to your bones by connective tissues, called tendons, enabling them to move your body parts. Your bones are then connected by tough bands of connective tissue, called ligaments, for added stability. Your ligaments are covered by yet another connective tissue called fascia. All of these connective tissues can be referred to as soft tissues.
Soft tissues help in mobilize your joints and give your body the strength it needs to perform tasks. Your soft tissues provide you with the ability to do many things however, they also limit you from pushing yourself too far even if thats your intention. These can be damaged by certain stresses, especially those caused by the repeated actions within athletic activity. A tear in the tendon can lead you with a significant amount of swelling and inflammation. Many athletes also experience sprains, which is caused by a ligament stretching farther than intended.
These injuries may occur in response to the intensity of your sport, but they can also occur if muscles simply are too tight before you begin one of your workouts. Therapeutic massage can help with this, as it loosens up the muscles, and may even prevent some of these injuries from occurring.
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Acupuncture As An Opioid Drug Alternative
Acupuncture has the potential to become a front-line treatment for pain management as an alternative to opioid drug prescriptions. Acupuncture and other holistic practices have been helping reduce the number of active service members prescribed opioids. In 2011, 26 percent of all service members were prescribed at least one type of opioid medication. That number has since gone down due to the armed forces offering alternatives, such as acupuncture, for conventional pain killers.
Veterans can take advantage of the health benefits of acupuncture without the need to subscribe to painkillers. As an opioid drug alternative, acupuncture can be used in place of the prescriptions for acute to chronic pain for the same effects with none of the side effects.
When Does Trauma Become Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is a relatively new term for an old illness. It is usually used as a term connected to military service, but is often used in the civilian world as well. In the past it was referred to as shell-shock, battle fatigue and soldiers heart when it referred to those coming home from war after seeing and experiencing horrific events. Some mental health professionals say it is actually a normal reaction to abnormal events.
Many individuals, after seeing or experiencing a life-altering event will experience some kind of extreme trauma. Most will recover. It is only considered a disorder if the symptoms last for more than three months. For those affected, PTSD may change them for the rest of their lives.
It is estimated that about 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women in the United States experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Of those, about 8 percent of men and 20 percent of women will develop PTSD. This means that about 5.2 million adults will have PTSD in any given year. In some cases, like combat or sexual assault , the percentages are actually much higher.
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Does Medicaid Or Medicare Pay For Voice Therapy
When a child speaks with a stutter or has other fluency issues, they may require voice therapy to help them speak more clearly. These services may be covered by Medicaid, depending on the state. Typically, they’re covered under the same parameters as speech pathology.
Medicare Part B also typically pays for voice therapy. Again, it’s important to check with your plan provider to determine if you’re eligible for coverage and how much coverage you can receive.
Learn More About Zeel In
Fill out this brief form, and well provide you with information about in-home massage therapy with Zeel. This service is currently available as a pilot program through VA Medical Centers in Long Beach, CA Gainesville, FL and Manchester, NH.
Zeel will never spam you or give your information to any third parties. The data collected here is purely to ensure that we can provide you with the most accurate information and resources for your healthcare needs.By clicking Submit, you agree to Zeels website Terms of Use.
With medically prescribed massage therapy you can experience relief from muscle and joint pain, stiffness and mobility limitations, and other conditions, without drugs or side effects.
Zeel brings that care directly to the comfort and privacy of your home, as a provider in the VA Community Care Network. Appointments are available 365 days a year, so you can get back to being active, rested, and pain-free sooner.
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What Does This Mean For The Future Of The Massage Therapy Profession
Now that the VA has clearly defined standards of education and create a clear job description, many more may follow.
Will Medicare/Medicaid recognize massage therapy?
Will more health insurance companies recognize massage therapy?
Will more hospitals, hospice centers, cancer centers and rehab centers recognize massage therapy more and use the standards and job descriptions for their programs?
You betcha!
How Can I Get Insurance To Pay For Massage
There are ways to have your massage services paid for by your health insurance companies.
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Common Health Conditions In The Veteran Populationand How Massage Can Help
PTSD. Feeling fear and a whole host of other emotions either during or after a traumatic event is not uncommon. But for some people, those feelings never completely resolve and they continue to feel stressed or frightened even when not in danger. Some research estimates that between 5 and 20 percent of veterans who were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD.
PTSD comes with both physical and psychological symptoms, and can include higher rates of musculoskeletal or cardiovascular issues, flashbacks and nightmares, increased feelings of detachment and isolation, and irritability and difficulty falling asleep.
Because these symptoms are so wide-ranging and sometimes contradictory, getting help with PTSD can be difficult for some. So, for example, not only can you have a flashback or memory you dont want to have, but you also feel separate and alienated from others, explains Frank Ochberg, M.D., and founder of Gift from Within, a nonprofit organization providing educational resources to people suffering from PTSD. That makes it difficult to be trusting, to want to be with the very people you need to be with.
Studies back up the benefits massage therapy offers people dealing with chronic pain, including back pain, neck and shoulder pain and osteoarthritis. For example, one study comparing two different types of massage to usual care on 401 participants with nonspecific low back pain found massage to be an effective treatment, with benefits lasting at least six months.