AMTA Urges Congress to Address VA Payment Policy Impacting Massage Therapy for Veterans

AMTA recently sent a letter to the Chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs to help address how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays for massage therapy services provided through the VA Community Care Network (VACCN).

The concern is that the VA is applying the Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR) policy to massage therapy services. This policy was designed for Medicare-covered physical therapy services and reduces payment when multiple procedures are billed during a single visit. However, massage therapy is not covered under Medicare Part B, and treatment is typically provided as one continuous session tailored to a veteran’s specific medical needs. As a result, applying MPPR to massage therapy does not reflect how the service is delivered and leads to inappropriate payment reductions.

The MPPR Policy and Our Key Concerns

• MPPR was created in 1992 under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to reduce payments when multiple procedures occur in one visit.
  
  
• Massage therapy is not a Medicare-covered service, making the use of this policy inappropriate in this context.
  
  
• A massage therapy visit is typically one complete treatment session, even if multiple billing units are used for documentation.
  
  
• Applying MPPR treats a single session as multiple services, which reduces reimbursement in a way that does not reflect the actual care provided.

Our letter also explains that this policy is creating significant challenges for massage therapists who serve veterans. Massage therapists working within the VA network are facing increased administrative burdens, lower payments, and confusion about how the policy is being applied. These issues may discourage massage therapists from participating in the program which could limit veterans’ access to important pain management services.

Concerns Raised by Massage Therapists Who Work with VA Patients

AMTA recently hosted a listening session that gave massage therapists working within the VA system an opportunity to share their experiences. Some of the concerns raised by participants include:

• Increased administrative workload and paperwork, along with denied or reduced payments linked to MPPR.
  
  
• The application of reimbursement reductions through the MPPR has been inconsistent. Some massage therapists have been told the reduction resulted from a technical error, while others continue to experience the reimbursement decrease.

AMTA is urging Congress to investigate the VA’s massage therapy payment policies to ensure veterans continue to have access to this important holistic care for conditions such as chronic pain, PTSD-related injuries, and common neck and back problems.

Read AMTA’s letter to the Chair House Committee on Veterans Affairs