It’s a new year and that means most health funds reset – time to check your cover!
Do you know what you’re getting cover for when you signed up for private health insurance?
There are a lot of people who have ‘extras’ or ‘ancillary’ cover on their private health insurance who are not taking regular opportunities to avail themselves of the rebate for remedial massage.
When, for example, we signed up for health insurance with our current provider, we stated that we would like cover that includes rebates for regular massage therapy. When the calculations were done, the salesman stated that our level of cover equated to the ability to have a discounted massage every 2 weeks.
“Sweet!” I thought. Because I usually have a remedial massage every 3 weeks to manage ongoing myalgia issues. So now I just have my regular appointments made every three weeks, stay healthy and happy (happy wife, happy life, right?)
But how do you choose a quality massage therapy provider and how do you know they are providing that services and not just a ‘back-yarder’?
Here are a few things to look for when considering a remedial massage therapist:
Are they a registered member of a natural therapies association?
Look for associations such as Australian Association of Massage Therapists (AAMT), Australian Natural Therapies Association (ANTA) and (AMT).
If these are not readily visible on the person’s advertising, then simply ask, or look them up. The associations have their registered members listed.
A registered massage therapist has undergone an industry recognised and accredited training, has a current first aid certificate and public indemnity insurance.
Are they registered with HICAPS?
HICAPS is a financial scheme which allows the holder of participating health insurance cards to claim their rebate ‘on the spot’ and the consumer simply then pays the gap directly to the provider.
Whilst this is not mandatory, it demonstrates a level of commitment to the industry by having made the steps to be recognised by the big health insurance providers. Medibank Private currently governs the status quo of massage therapy in the HICAPS arena.
HICAPS is also convenient for consumers as they can pay for everything with card – health insurance card and credit cards. No cash necessary.
So check out your private health insurance to see what you can get as a rebate for massage therapy – it’s easy, just ask for a quote! If you ‘re considering a particular therapist it’s also okay to ask what their fee is so that you can get a corrected quote from your provider. That way you know how much gap fee you’ll need to pay. Makes the treatment a lot more enjoyable when you know what the bill will be and not getting a surprise at the end!
Have a great week!
Kirsty is an experienced remedial massage therapist who owns and operates a studio business at Strathpine called Caring Cottage. You can contact her anytime for more information or go on the webpage www.caringcottage.com.au
Great article, however, Hicaps is only available to onsite clinics and not suitable for mobile or offsite Remedial Massage service. A Hicaps facility is in no way a reflection of the therapists qualifications. The reflection of a qualified therapist should always be made by their registration with an appropriate association.
Yours in Health
The basic classes are anmtaoy, physiology, pathology, ethics, massage theory and practice and business. You also need a student clinic to practice in. You have to find the massage school that is best for you and your learning style and also your preferences. Some schools focus more on the spiritual side of massage and some are just technical and some are a combination of both.You can also take more training in things like deep tissue massage or injury massage or pregnancy massage or sports massage if you want to specialize in one of those areas.
Massage Therapy can be a profitable caeerr however it can take years to build a successful practice. You must really like people and be able to separate yourself from others emotions (like a nurse or a doctor). Working in a spa can afford you a steady income and benefits but not the same income as private practice. What you can charge for a massage varies greatly by town/city/state/region.It is a very strenuously job, and most people only stay in the field for 5-8 years due to burnout or injury.I would recommend that if you are interested that find out if any massage schools in your area hold discovery workshops in which you get a one-day crash course.I love my caeerr and don’t regret entering it at all, but I would recommend that you look into it seriously before you make the schooling commitment.
Many fully qualified and experienced Remedial Massage Therapists were recognised by Medibank Private and other health funds before the National Australia Bank sold their HICAPS electronic banking/billing idea to many Australian business owners. Given there are HICAPS machines fitted in brothels, I’d suggest using the conventional method of choosing a healthcare provider which is to check Qualifications and Association membership rather than choice of software and preparedness to pay a rental fee and merchant fees to the NAB bank.
Source: http://www.afr.com/business/health/medibanks-health-still-in-doubt-despite-profit-boost-20160129-gmhb2z