AMTA Advocates for Better Access to Massage

 May 1, 2026

Massage therapy is increasingly recognized as an essential component of whole-person healthcare. Research continues to demonstrate its effectiveness in managing pain, reducing stress, supporting cancer care, improving mobility and enhancing overall quality of life.

Yet despite this growing body of evidence, there can be barriers to access when it comes to massage therapy. High out-of-pocket costs, limited insurance coverage, workforce mobility challenges and gaps in awareness can prevent individuals from receiving massage that could significantly improve their health and well-being.

Expanding access is central to AMTA’s mission. Through coordinated advocacy, research investment, policy engagement and public education, AMTA is building a future in which massage therapy is accessible, affordable and fully integrated into healthcare.

Making Massage Therapy More Affordable Through Insurance Advocacy

Cost remains one of the greatest barriers to massage therapy. When insurance coverage is unavailable or limited, patients often delay or forgo therapeutic massage that can help manage pain, support recovery or reduce reliance on pharmacological treatments.

AMTA advocates for expanded insurance coverage by engaging insurers, policymakers and healthcare leaders to recognize massage therapy as a research-supported, non-pharmacological option within patient-centered care. These efforts include encouraging Medicare Advantage and private insurers to provide coverage when evidence demonstrates improved outcomes.

AMTA Helps Massage Therapists Navigate Medicare Advantage Plans

Although original Medicare does not cover massage therapy, some Medicare Advantage plans may offer it as part of expanded wellness or complementary therapy benefits. To help increase patient access, AMTA provides education that equips licensed massage therapists to navigate billing codes, documentation standards and network participation requirements with confidence.

Because coverage varies by plan, including eligible conditions, session limits, and reimbursement policies, AMTA encourages massage therapists to work closely with clients to confirm benefit details, including referral or pre-authorization requirements.

AMTA Advocates for How Massage is Coded, Recognized and Reimbursed in the U.S. Healthcare System

AMTA’s involvement in the American Medical Association’s (AMA’s) Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Advisory Committee and the Health Care Professionals Advisory Committee (HCPAC) helps ensure massage therapy is represented in decisions about how healthcare services are coded, recognized, and reimbursed in the U.S. healthcare system.

Because insurance companies and government programs rely on CPT codes to determine what treatments qualify for coverage, participating in these discussions allows AMTA to advocate for appropriate coding of massage therapy services.

This work supports greater integration of massage therapy into healthcare settings, improves opportunities for insurance reimbursement, and helps make therapeutic massage more accessible and affordable for patients as part of comprehensive care.

Advancing Legislation That Expands Patient Access to Massage

Legislative advocacy is another critical pathway to expanding access. AMTA continually works with federal and state lawmakers to promote responsible policies that integrate massage therapy into clinical care.

These efforts are vital in the context of pain management, where patients and providers increasingly seek safe, effective, non-opioid treatment options. By supporting legislation that facilitates appropriate referrals to massage therapy, AMTA helps broaden the range of accessible, evidence-based therapies within whole-person healthcare.

Addressing the Opioid Crisis with Massage Therapy

As part of these efforts, each year AMTA attends the Annual Coalition Meeting of Voices for Non-Opioid Choices (Voices) in Washington, D.C., joining more than 100 national partners working to prevent opioid misuse in pain treatment.

These important events include physicians, policymakers, and patient representatives discussing the ongoing impact of opioid abuse. AMTA will continue its efforts to collaborate with Voices and other organizations to highlight the role of massage therapy in helping address the opioid crisis.

AMTA was also an active participant in an earlier Voices advocacy effort to help pass the 2022 Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act in Congress. This Act intends to increase patient and provider access to non-opioid approaches for pain management for those enrolled in Medicare and to help stem the opioid epidemic across the nation. It also includes language which aims to increase awareness that patients need access to complementary and integrative pain therapies such as massage therapy.

Promoting High-Quality Research to Expand Access and Public Awareness

Research plays a foundational role in expanding access. Strong evidence supports broader insurance coverage, informs clinical guidelines and increases adoption in hospitals, VA and DoD clinics and community health centers.

Through its partnership with the Massage Therapy Foundation, AMTA has invested more than $16 million in massage therapy research since the foundation’s inception 35 years ago.

In 2025, AMTA pledged an additional $2.5 million over the next five years, representing an unprecedented level of support for research that strengthens the evidence base for massage therapy as an effective integrative health treatment.

Research in pain management, oncology, pediatric care, pregnancy, trauma recovery and veteran health not only improves clinical practice but also advances the policy and reimbursement changes necessary to make massage therapy more accessible nationwide.

Expanding Workforce Mobility Through Licensing Portability

Access to massage therapy also relies on a strong, mobile massage therapy workforce. Significant variation in state licensing requirements creates barriers for massage therapists who relocate, particularly military spouses and families, and can contribute to uneven provider distribution.

AMTA supports the Revised Interstate Massage Therapy Compact, which allows licensed massage therapists who meet established eligibility requirements to practice in multiple states without obtaining additional licenses.

Why the Revised Massage Therapy Compact Matters for Access

• It increases flexibility for active-duty military families, making it easier to maintain licensure when relocating.
  
  
• It strengthens professional mobility while maintaining public protection through consistent eligibility and verification standards.
  
  
• It improves workforce distribution, helping underserved communities gain access to qualified massage therapists.
  
  
• When qualified licensed therapists can move and practice more easily, communities across the country gain greater access to massage therapy.

Elevating Public Awareness and Professional Education

Improving access also requires increasing awareness. Many individuals and even some healthcare providers remain unfamiliar with the growing body of research supporting massage therapy.

AMTA addresses this gap through research-based publications, continuing education and national media outreach that highlights emerging research across a range of health conditions. These efforts reach millions of people each year.

As awareness grows, referrals increase, insurers better recognize the value of massage therapy and consumers feel empowered to seek out massage therapy for their health and wellness needs. Greater awareness supports policy progress and ultimately expands massage therapy access.

At AMTA, we believe access to safe, professional massage therapy is an essential part of whole-person health. That belief drives every step we take to expand insurance coverage, champion legislation, invest in research, advance licensing portability, and educate the public.

Together, these efforts are breaking down barriers and building a stronger, more integrated health care landscape—one where massage therapy is recognized, accessible, and affordable for the individuals and communities who need it most.