Consumers Want Massage Therapy to be Covered by Their Health Plan
The number of massage therapists who received insurance reimbursement decreased a bit in 2010, even while most Americans want to have massage therapy covered by their health plans, according to a report from a national massage association.
The fourth annual Massage Profession Research Report, released recently by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) showed:
• Fifteen percent of massage therapists accepted insurance reimbursement in 2010, a four percentage-point decrease from 2009.
• Massage therapists working in health care were the most likely to receive insurance reimbursement (27 percent), followed by health club workers (22 percent) and sole proprietors (18 percent).
• Americans want their health care plans to cover massage therapy. According to AMTA's 2010 Consumer Survey, 58 percent of Americans would like to have their health care insurance plan cover massage, which is consistent with last year's results.
• The only group that did not have a strong reaction to whether massage should be covered by insurance was the 65-and-older age group (34 percent).
• Of the consumers who had received massage in the past five years, only four percent indicated that massage was covered by some type of insurance.
• Seventy-nine percent of massage therapists who received insurance reimbursement indicated that it is a worthwhile practice for their business. (Compared to 68 percent
who thought so in 2009.)
• The average amount of reimbursement received for one hour of massage was $68 per hour in 2010 compared to $70 in 2009.
The fourth annual Massage Profession Research Report, released recently by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) showed:
• Fifteen percent of massage therapists accepted insurance reimbursement in 2010, a four percentage-point decrease from 2009.
• Massage therapists working in health care were the most likely to receive insurance reimbursement (27 percent), followed by health club workers (22 percent) and sole proprietors (18 percent).
• Americans want their health care plans to cover massage therapy. According to AMTA's 2010 Consumer Survey, 58 percent of Americans would like to have their health care insurance plan cover massage, which is consistent with last year's results.
• The only group that did not have a strong reaction to whether massage should be covered by insurance was the 65-and-older age group (34 percent).
• Of the consumers who had received massage in the past five years, only four percent indicated that massage was covered by some type of insurance.
• Seventy-nine percent of massage therapists who received insurance reimbursement indicated that it is a worthwhile practice for their business. (Compared to 68 percent
who thought so in 2009.)
• The average amount of reimbursement received for one hour of massage was $68 per hour in 2010 compared to $70 in 2009.
National Association Releases Report on Massage Trends
In 2010, a new U.S. massage therapist received 660 hours of initial training, an increase of 36 hours over 2009, and the average massage therapist earned $41 per hour. These statistics are among the information in the fourth annual Massage Profession Research Report, released today by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).
According to the report's executive summary, published here by permission of the AMTA:
• Although the last decade has seen the number of practicing massage therapists increase by close
to 60 percent, this growth slowed in 2010 (1 percent increase over 2009).
• Most massage therapists are female (87 percent).
• The average age of massage therapists is 43.
• Most massage therapists, 74 percent, worked in a different field prior to becoming a massage therapist.
• Sixty-five percent of massage therapists are solo practitioners.
• Massage therapists tend to work in multiple settings (an average of two settings) and practice a
number of modalities (an average of eight).
• Twenty-five percent of massage therapists
reported working in a health care environment in 2010, compared to 10 percent of massage
therapists working in these environments in 2005.
• Massage therapy schools report their three top challenges as difficulty in attracting students; difficulty in marketing their schools or programs; and difficulty in keeping in touch with graduates.
• Fifteen percent of schools offer distance learning classes.
• Almost forty percent of massage therapists said they would like to have had more specific
modality training in school, with more than two-thirds expressing the greatest interest in continuing
education in new modalities/techniques.
• Ninety-seven percent of massage therapists took
continuing education classes in 2010.
• Fifty-five percent of therapists said they wished they were taught more business skills in massage school. (Most schools offer marketing courses, about two-thirds offer management courses, but less than half offer accounting courses or finance classes.)
• Massage therapists are increasing their use of digital technology. Practically all therapists surf
the Web and are increasing their use of basic Internet technology including using social media,
managing social network profiles, building their own websites, uploading video clips, booking
flights and sharing iTunes playlists.
• Massage therapists are using technology in their businesses, with 28 percent of therapists
using social media to stay in touch with clients.
According to the report's executive summary, published here by permission of the AMTA:
• Although the last decade has seen the number of practicing massage therapists increase by close
to 60 percent, this growth slowed in 2010 (1 percent increase over 2009).
• Most massage therapists are female (87 percent).
• The average age of massage therapists is 43.
• Most massage therapists, 74 percent, worked in a different field prior to becoming a massage therapist.
• Sixty-five percent of massage therapists are solo practitioners.
• Massage therapists tend to work in multiple settings (an average of two settings) and practice a
number of modalities (an average of eight).
• Twenty-five percent of massage therapists
reported working in a health care environment in 2010, compared to 10 percent of massage
therapists working in these environments in 2005.
• Massage therapy schools report their three top challenges as difficulty in attracting students; difficulty in marketing their schools or programs; and difficulty in keeping in touch with graduates.
• Fifteen percent of schools offer distance learning classes.
• Almost forty percent of massage therapists said they would like to have had more specific
modality training in school, with more than two-thirds expressing the greatest interest in continuing
education in new modalities/techniques.
• Ninety-seven percent of massage therapists took
continuing education classes in 2010.
• Fifty-five percent of therapists said they wished they were taught more business skills in massage school. (Most schools offer marketing courses, about two-thirds offer management courses, but less than half offer accounting courses or finance classes.)
• Massage therapists are increasing their use of digital technology. Practically all therapists surf
the Web and are increasing their use of basic Internet technology including using social media,
managing social network profiles, building their own websites, uploading video clips, booking
flights and sharing iTunes playlists.
• Massage therapists are using technology in their businesses, with 28 percent of therapists
using social media to stay in touch with clients.
