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How to Obtain a Dr's Referral for Massage Therapy
Many are asking how to obtain this from their Dr. so their insurance may cover their medical massage.
We have a form at the bottom of this page for you to download and have them fill out.
Then follow these easy steps:
Get a prescription by clearly communicating to your doctor that you’d like massage therapy
If you’re having muscle pain and, based on your lifestyle, pain history and research, you think massage therapy is a reasonable option. Describe all of this clearly to your doctor.
For example: “I have low back pain, and it may be because I’m sleeping a certain way, but I’m not sure. I’d like to try massage therapy based on what I’ve read about its benefits for acute pain, and I’d like a licensed massage therapist to help me figure out why it’s happening and correct it. If it doesn’t improve, then I’d like to talk about pain medication options. Would you recommend this for me?”
Depending on your situation, your doctor likely will be open to prescribing massage. Licensed therapeutic massage is safe and non-addictive, and medical research consistently supports its effectiveness as a pain-management treatment.
Ask your doctor to prescribe massage for the most general diagnosis possible
A prescription of massage therapy for “muscle pain” allows a licensed therapist to adjust treatment to your problem more easily and quickly.
For example, you may have pain in your left ankle, but it later turns out that your ankle pain resulted from lower back pain you’ve been compensating for over time.
Because massage therapists can’t write prescriptions or diagnose patients, they must do exactly what the prescription asks. If your prescription specifically asks for massage in the area of your left ankle, a massage therapist won’t be able to begin treating your lower back unless you obtain an updated prescription from your doctor.
If possible, get a prescription that doesn’t specify the frequency and number of massages
A prescription that says exactly how many massages are needed or how many you should receive each week doesn’t always lead to the best treatment plan.
When licensed massage therapists meet with patients, their goal isn’t just to offer therapy, but also to identify how the person came to have this pain. They’ll evaluate habits, such as crossing the legs a certain way, that could be adjusted to prevent pain.
There may also be a cause that a patient won’t be able to change – maybe their job contributes to back pain, but they love can't quit working. At that point, massage therapy becomes a regular appointment for the patient. In these scenarios, the problem is difficult to fix in a limited number of appointments.
Getting in for an appointment at the times dictated in a prescription also can become difficult between therapist and patient schedules.
Massage therapy may be the key to reducing pain for you, whether you’re suffering from muscle aches, arthritis, headaches or even fibromyalgia.
The licensed massage therapists at Virginia Medical Massage can contribute to your physician-managed treatment plan and help you learn better self-care strategies.
To book your appointment we will need a copy of your Dr's referral. You can either text it to us at 757-4105-3222 OR Fax it to 757-548-0670
WILL MY INSURANCE REIMBURSE ME?
In some cases they will.
Virginia Medical Massage is not in network with any local insurance companies, but we are happy to give you an itemized receipt to help you get reimbursed.
There are some important questions to ask your insurance company. Contact a representative through the customer service number (usually on the back of your insurance card).
Example questions:
- I’ve received a prescription for medical (or therapeutic) massage written by my medical doctor. How do I know if it’s a covered service in my plan?
- Does my prescription for massage need to have a particular diagnosis (such as “back pain”) or diagnosis code number (such as “M54.6”)?
- What else needs to be included in my prescription, and what kind of doctor needs to prescribe this for me?
- Will my plan cover my diagnosis of “back pain”? (This applies if you already have a diagnosis from your doctor.)
- Does my plan cover a Massage Therapist preforming CPT code 97140 or does it have to be a Dr?
- Do I have any limitations on the number of visits or length of time for each visit? (If your insurance representative says each visit is limited to a certain number of “billing units,” ask how long each unit lasts.)
- What is my portion of 'Out of Network' massage therapy?