Becoming an Insurance Provider

As a massage therapist,you must become a covered network insurance provider under some medical policies, such as PPO or HMO plans, in order to be reimbursed by a client's medical plan.

Some plans do not recognize massage therapists as covered healthcare providers but others do.

To do this, you will need to contact each health insurance company as new clients who are part of these networks come to you for treatment. Apply to join the various networks in your area. If you live in the city, there could be many different networks.

Since each health insurance company has many policies with many different clients, it is important for you to check on each client's coverage and whether or not you will be considered as a covered network provider. This is time consuming and can be quite confusing, but it is good to know prior to starting treatment on a new client.

If you are not considered covered, some plans will pay a lesser amount and some plans will not pay anything to a non-network provider. Always call the insurance company and get the benefits. Remember that your call does not constitute guarantee of payment. The insurance company will tell you this during your call.

Be sure and let the client know what the insurance company tells you. If you are a non-network provider, tell the client that he or she is responsible for payment to you since you are not covered by the insurance company.

You may decide that it is not worth your time for the money you will be paid by the insurance company. A network provider must accept a discounted amount for services rendered and the provider cannot bill the client for the balance due. It must be written off.

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