Massage therapists can be part of a PPO.
Becoming a PPO health care provider can allow a massage therapist to expand her business and provide valuable services to a larger community of clients. PPO stands for Preferred Provider Organization, meaning that prospective clients have to visit alternative medicine practitioners within a certain network. Some states require insurance companies to accept massage therapists into a PPO, while others do not.
Instructions
1. Contact your state's department of insurance to find out if state law requires insurance companies to take on massage therapists as providers in their PPOs. If they do not, you may have difficulty finding companies that will allow a massage therapist into the network. Research online for any health care laws that may make finding a PPO easier, such as Washington state’s 1996 "Every Category Law," which requires insurance companies to take on eligible massage therapists.
2. Look for PPO networks that offer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) providers. Some employers are interested in offering alternative medicine in their health care packages. CAM PPO of America Inc. is a national PPO that offers a network of practitioners.
3. Contact the insurance companies you are interested in working with. Ask them how much coverage they offer their customers, what type of deductibles the customers pay, what is covered in your scope of practice, what companies they work with and what they require from the massage therapists within their network. You may also want to ask about billing practices and how they prefer medical documentation to be handled.
4. Fill out the necessary paperwork with the PPO network of your choice. This may require various contracts, privacy agreements, etc. Read everything carefully and ask a lawyer to go over it with you before signing.
5. Send in your signed paperwork. Once you are a PPO provider, stay in touch with the insurance company and report any billing errors right away. Providing your clients with the best treatment is always the priority, and being a PPO provider may help you better fulfill their needs.
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