# Massage Therapy - Blue Cross Clarification Questions



## Markus13 (17 Dec 2012)

Hey guys,
I have joined the CF recently and just got issued a blue cross card. So from what I understand I can no longer use my provincial health card. However, somewhere I heard that I can only go to doctors on the CF base. From another source I've heard that I can go to civilian hospitals as well but not all of them will accept the blue cross card. Could I get services like going to a registered massage therapist for example. 

Thanks.


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## Jimmy_D (17 Dec 2012)

For massage therapy, you will need a VAC pension for a condition which could require massage therapy and a medical prescription from the doctor. That is unless you wish to pay for it by yourself.


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## PMedMoe (17 Dec 2012)

No, you are no longer covered under Provincial health care.  Yes, you will _mainly_ go to doctors on the base, however, the Blue Cross card can be used for after hours emergencies, etc.  Sometimes, either the CDU or pharmacy is closed and they will tell you, if you need _emergency_ care or medication, to use it.

For appointments such as physio, ect (or your massage therapist situation), you need to have a referral from your (military) doctor.  You can't just go and make appointments on your own.

Understanding and Accessing Your Health Care Benefits

FAQ


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## pablor (30 Aug 2013)

is the DND Blue Cross cover massage therapie?


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## Teager (30 Aug 2013)

I believe you need a military doctors recommendation to have it and the doctor will recommend the amount of sessions and the place. I'm not 100% on this but best to ask a military doctor.


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## Cbbmtt (30 Aug 2013)

If you give me a group number, which is the one starting with an E on your Blue Cross card I could tell you if you need a doctors note or not.


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## Eye In The Sky (30 Aug 2013)

If you are a serving member, you report to your CF Heath Svc's center for assessment and treatment even if you have a VAC Blue Cross card  

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/services/treatment-benefits

Information for Canadian Forces and RCMP members who have received a disability benefit from Veterans Affairs Canada:
•If you are still-serving: ◦Any treatment benefits you require for your disability will be provided through your home organization until you have released from service.

•If you are in the process of releasing: ◦Canadian Forces members – please ensure you are removed from the CF Member Enrolment Systems (CFMES) so that you can begin to access VAC’s treatment benefits.


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## Teager (30 Aug 2013)

Cbbmtt said:
			
		

> If you give me a group number, which is the one starting with an E on your Blue Cross card I could tell you if you need a doctors note or not.



I'm looking at my blue cross card I don't see an E anywhere. I see a lot of A's which I believe is what I'm entitled too. AFAIK the doc needs to be in the loop and recommend if your a serving member thats just my experience.


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## Nudibranch (20 Sep 2013)

Markus13 said:
			
		

> Hey guys,
> I have joined the CF recently and just got issued a blue cross card. So from what I understand I can no longer use my provincial health card. However, somewhere I heard that I can only go to doctors on the CF base. From another source I've heard that I can go to civilian hospitals as well but not all of them will accept the blue cross card. Could I get services like going to a registered massage therapist for example.
> 
> Thanks.



Massage therapy is not part of the CAF Spectrum of Care, period. It is not covered.
(There is coverage for VAC pension recipients, but that does not apply to you).

Your primary care provider is at your base clinic. You will be referred to civilian specialists as needed by the base. In the case of emergency or after hours for urgent issues that can't wait, you can of course go to a civilian ER if needed. Blue Cross will be billed, so even if you don't tell the clinic that you went (which you are supposed to, for follow-up and completeness of medical record), they will know once the bill comes.


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## PMedMoe (20 Sep 2013)

OP was last active in April....


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## Teager (20 Sep 2013)

Nudibranch said:
			
		

> Massage therapy is not part of the CAF Spectrum of Care, period. It is not covered.(There is coverage for VAC pension recipients, but that does not apply to you).
> 
> Your primary care provider is at your base clinic. You will be referred to civilian specialists as needed by the base. In the case of emergency or after hours for urgent issues that can't wait, you can of course go to a civilian ER if needed. Blue Cross will be billed, so even if you don't tell the clinic that you went (which you are supposed to, for follow-up and completeness of medical record), they will know once the bill comes.



The part highlighted would be incorrect. Mostly the answer is no but depending on a persons medical issues and doctors involved it can be covered and I have seen this happen myself, and no there was no VAC pension receipt at the time.


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## Nudibranch (20 Sep 2013)

Teager said:
			
		

> The part highlighted would be incorrect. Mostly the answer is no but depending on a persons medical issues and doctors involved it can be covered and I have seen this happen myself, and no there was no VAC pension receipt at the time.



http://cmp-cpm.forces.mil.ca/health-sante/pub/soc-gds/msex-smng-eng.asp

Under "Medical services excluded from entitlement: massage therapy (except for still serving VAC pensioned members who are entitled to that benefit)."

Yes, there is the odd really-special-circumstances case, such as part of an inpatient rehab package, since those aren't billed individually (CAF pays for the full rehab - if they do massage as part of that, nobody will question it). Or the occasional case that has gone all the way to SSO Primary Care in Ottawa for approval. But in 99.9% of cases, massage therapy is not covered. It is not considered an evidence-based treatment, and thus not on the Spectrum.

Sometimes Physios or Chiros, which are covered, will do massage. But if it's billed as "massage", odds are good someone will catch it and put a quick stop to it. I've seen it happen.


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## Cbbmtt (20 Sep 2013)

I've worked at Blue Cross for almost 6 years now and I have yet to see a chiropractor or physiotherapist bill a patient for a massage because they are not registered as massage therapists in the system.


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## Nudibranch (20 Sep 2013)

Cbbmtt said:
			
		

> I've worked at Blue Cross for almost 6 years now and I have yet to see a chiropractor or physiotherapist bill a patient for a massage because they are not registered as massage therapists in the system.



Chiros do have modalities under their "Soft Tissue Manual Therapy" umbrella which are essentially massage by another name. That's just an example of how someone could end up getting "massage" without actually being approved for massge - because it's given under the name of a chiropractic modality that the approving/prescribing MO didn't even realize is massage.


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## Cbbmtt (20 Sep 2013)

Nudibranch said:
			
		

> Chiros do have modalities under their "Soft Tissue Manual Therapy" umbrella which are essentially massage by another name. That's just an example of how someone could end up getting "massage" without actually being approved for massge - because it's given under the name of a chiropractic modality that the approving/prescribing MO didn't even realize is massage.



The receipt that you would claim through your medical plan be from a chiropractor regardless, not a RMC so it would be covered.


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## Nudibranch (20 Sep 2013)

Cbbmtt said:
			
		

> The receipt that you would claim through your medical plan be from a chiropractor regardless, not a RMC so it would be covered.



You'd just claim a chiro session, not a specific modality.
But the chiro is expected to write a report to your MO (what they're doing, how the patient is progressing, whether more sessions are needed, etc). If what you've (general you) been getting is massage-by-another-name from the chiro, and the report says that, and the MO is actually familiar enough with chiro modality names to be able to tell this, they can refuse more sessions. Because while chiro is on the Spectrum, massage (no matter what you call it) is not - the provider is covered, the specific treatment modality is not.
Just like Ortho is covered, but if your Ortho suggests protein-rich plasma injection, no go. You can still see your Ortho for some other, covered treatment modality, but you're not getting that specific one.


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