From the Background Paper for the Future of Bodywork Seminar
"Where Do We Go From Here?" held November 19, 2009
by Jack Blackburn, MTS-SD, LMP
Insurance Coverage
a. 3rd party payments
What is the situation with 3rd party payers and how will it change in the future? If bodyworkers had a union, how would that affect our relationship with insurance companies? It has become more and more obvious that the insurance companies do not want to pay for services for their clients that they deem unnecessary. Many bodyworkers feel that they, not the primary care provider, have been given the responsibility to decide when a client has received enough sessions. The insurance companies have scared the bodyworkers into believing that they can even rescind their payments after the fact. How does this bode for the future of bodywork?
b. National coverage – NCCAM
Is the NCCAM, established under Clinton’s presidency aware of the benefits of various kinds of bodywork? Are there provisions for bodywork in the new national health proposals? Are we going to be able to fit in because costs for our work is reasonable with little or no side effects? What are we doing to create our role in future national health care?
After the seminar, these articles were sent to Trillium Institute. They contain some very pertinent and insightful information on the National Health Care issue. Please note that they were published in 2003. Unfortunately, things have not changed significantly since then.
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS: VICTIMS OR ARCHITECTS OF PUBLIC POLICY?
PUBLIC POLICY IMPACT: RIGHT ACTION IN TIME AND PLACE
LET THE GAMES BEGIN: THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN CRISIS
For more information about this event, or biographies of the panelists, please visit the Future of Bodywork.
