Massage Politics

Massage Politics is a heated issue with many different views and perspectives.

Most of what is happening is around licensing and legislation and what is required to become a massage therapist and how massage and bodywork are defined.

Currently, individual states license the practice of massage and some stated don't have any licensing. There are a few states that have Freedom of Access Laws that allow any type of therapist to practice as long as they provide statements of informed consent to the clients clearly stating just what it is that they do and don't do.

The debate lies in the number of hours of education needed to be a competent massage therapist and even if licensing is required at all. Many legislative movements also include the idea that they are only protecting the public from harm, but to date there is no concrete proof that massage does any harm.

Keith Grant a noted massage school instructor and expert in massage politics sites the number of hours of education to be only 100 hours and the best form of schooling is through an apprenticeship program. They way people learn best is in smaller periods of studying. Most massage therapists come out of school feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information and only hands on experience can help one to integrate this book knowledge. To read more see by Keith Grant.

The biggest harm comes from the image of massage parlors and other establishments that are just a front for prostitution. Some are saying that licensing massage will help stop prostitution, but there is nothing that can stop that. All of the laws that are in place now and there is still prostitution.

Another issue currently being debated has to do with how we define massage and the different types of massage. So called Medical Massage is creating one of these problems. Currently there are a few professionals who are training others in medical massage saying that they will need this specific technique in order to bill insurance companies for massage services. The insurance companies are hearing this and are starting to set up their own definition of massage and what is required to perform massage. It doesn't matter what licensing you have, you may be required to get further education to bill insurance companies. Insurance companies are doing this because this is how they can further reduce the number of massage therapists in their networks and also the number of dollars that they pay out for massage therapy. ( This is what managed care really is. It is not about managing or optimizing health).

I started in massage 18 years ago with 250 hours of education and was able to start billing insurance companies for my services without any further training. I think that medical massage is just the ability to bill an insurance company and get paid by them which only requires that you be able to show improvement in a clients condition. Relaxation massage can do that as well as any other type of massage or bodywork.

The whole medical massage caper is really about making money - more for the insurance companies and more for the people who are putting on workshops on medical massage.

And then this goes back to the licensing debate about how do wedefine massage as a profession. There is no unified definition and the major associations do not want to create a definition of massage and bodywork. Since we do not have a clear definition, the legislators and insurance companies are defining the massage profession.

In an effort to bring more attention to the issues of defining ourself as a profession, I am collecting information in the licensing sections of each state to get more information on just how licensing and the lack of licensing affects the ability to create a successful practice. I am specifically looking for information that is not in the laws and rules but more of how they are being interpreted and how they limit or guide your practice.

Some things that I am looking for:-Can you bill insurance companies?-Can you work in a persons mouth or do visceral massage?-Can you massage animals?-Are Reiki practitioners, structural integration therapists, reflexologists, Shiatsu therapists, aromatherapists, or other non- massage types of touch required to get a massage license?-What category or division controls your licensing? (Nursing Board, Health Professional division, medical division, business division, Naturopathic Board or others?)-How has licensing affected your ability to work?-How has lack of licensing affected your ability to work?

You can add your information by going to the State List and find your state and click on licensing and fill out the form there. The form creates a new page that will be posted on the site upon my approval. The email address is only used by the software to inform you of updates and posts. I do not have access to it and everything is confidential.

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Thanks!
Julie Onofrio
www.massagetherapycareers.com