What the Medical Profession Says About Bodywork:

More frequently, insurance companies are reimbursing for massage and bodywork, especially if they are prescribed by a primary practitioner. Check with your insurance company or HMO to find out what their policy is. Additionally, many of my patients are able to use their Health Flexible Spending Accounts to pay for sessions. Be sure to ask for a receipt at your appointment so that you can submit it for reimbursement.

In 1998, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study showing that almost 50% of people use “alternative” therapies. This study was groundbreaking because of its results and because it was done by doctors and printed in a journal that has been devoted to “traditional” medicine. It is just one example that shows that the medical profession is becoming more open to the practice of integrative therapies.

The number of community hospitals offering services like massage therapy and herbal and vitamin supplements jumped by one third from 1998 to 1999, with more than 11 percent of hospitals offering integrative health treatments, according to a hospital association survey.