Health Insurance For Massage

Compare quotes for health insurance which includes remedial massage with Savvy. 

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, updated on July 6th, 2023       

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Health Insurance Banner - A young woman receiving a neck and back massage from a physio

We’ve partnered with Compare Club to bring you a range of health insurance policies to help you compare them side by side.

Are you experiencing aches and pains following surgery or other health treatments? If so, it may be suggested that you receive a remedial massage to assist with your healing, so you might be wondering if your health insurance covers it. Health funds can offer cover for physiotherapy, which includes massage, and you can compare offers that can help with the cost through Savvy.  

You can compare a range of quotes from a panel of leading health insurers online almost instantly through us. Just fill out a few details about the cover you’re after and you could have a range of policies to compare which come with remedial massage included. Get your health insurance needs sorted through us today.    

What is remedial massage and which health insurance policies cover it?

Remedial massage isn't the same thing as a massage which is given for relaxation and pleasure; it's a form of physiotherapy which can be of great help to aid healing or relieve chronic pain. Remedial massage is often prescribed following surgery, particularly if you’ve suffered burns or a major invasive procedure such as a knee replacement, other joint replacement or back surgery. 

Physiotherapy which is given to you while you’re an inpatient in hospital may be covered by your hospital cover policy. However, once you’ve been discharged from hospital, the treatment will fall under your extras policy benefits.  

Massage and physiotherapy are offered with many higher-level extras policies. The amount of money you'll be able to claim back will depend on the level of extras cover you’ve purchased. For example, some cheaper extras policy may only allow $150 per year for physiotherapy, while more expensive policies may offer up to $800 or more for this category of treatment. In addition, remedial massage can be delivered in conjunction with other natural therapies, with limits potentially applying across multiple treatment types in some cases. 

For this reason, it’s important to compare extras cover policies with Savvy to make sure that the policy you eventually buy does adequately cover your health needs.  

Is remedial massage covered by Medicare?

Remedial massage and physiotherapy out of a hospital setting aren’t covered by Medicare, so if you want cover for this area of treatment, you’ll have to look to private health insurance to assist with the cost. 

Some cheaper extras policies also don’t include cover for remedial massage, so you may have to look at more comprehensive plans to get cover for this type of treatment. For this reason, it’s a great idea to compare health insurance policies carefully through Savvy so you know exactly what is and isn’t covered by the policy you’re considering. 

You can compare a range of quotes for extras cover quickly and easily through us. If you require assistance with your purchase, you can ask for a call back and a health insurance specialist can discuss your choices and help make the process of buying your new health insurance simpler.

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Types of health insurance

Hospital cover

This can help you pay for medical treatment if you need to be admitted to hospital. It can help cover the cost of your admission or accommodation and the fees charged by doctors, surgeons and anaesthetists. It can also cover other costs associated with a stay in a private hospital.

Extras cover

This helps cover the costs of health care treatments outside a hospital setting which aren’t covered by Medicare. This can include major and minor dental treatment, orthodontics, hearing aids, physiotherapy, glasses, contact lenses and podiatry (in most cases with annual limits).

Cover for singles

This is a standard health insurance policy designed for a single person, rather than being tailored to cater to the needs of a couple or family. It may include hospital cover plus extras, or either of these types of insurance on their own, depending on what you're after for your health cover.

Cover for families

A family health insurance policy is designed for a family unit including dependent children who may reach up to 31 years of age with some insurers. It offers private health insurance suitable for the whole family and may include shared limits for all members included in your policy.

Cover for seniors

A health insurance policy aimed at seniors is designed to appeal to people who are in the second half of their life. These are often specific Silver Plus policies that offer the same cover as other health insurance policies, with the exception that pregnancy and childbirth cover may not be included.

OVHC

Visitors who are in Australia on a temporary basis for travel, work or study may be able to take out Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC). Many visas issued in Australia come with a requirement to take out this type of insurance, which covers visitors who may not be covered by Medicare.

Ambulance cover

Ambulance cover is generally available either packaged into your private health insurance or on its own as a separate policy or subscription. By having this protection, you could be covered for all eligible ambulance travel in Australia (subject to your insurer's terms and conditions).

Basic hospital cover

The cheapest and most barebones form of private hospital insurance, this can include cover for rehab, in-hospital psychiatric services and palliative care. Having this policy will enable you to avoid paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) and Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading.

Bronze hospital cover

Bronze hospital cover is a step up from basic insurance, including 18 further clinical categories such as ear, nose and throat, bone, joint and muscle, digestive system, joint reconstructions, gynaecology and chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy for cancer.

Silver hospital cover

Silver hospital cover is the second-most expensive type of policy and offers the second-most clinical categories. On top of what's offered by basic and bronze cover, it also includes heart and vascular system, lung and chest, blood, hearing device implantation and dental surgery.

Gold hospital cover

The highest level of private hospital insurance available in Australia, gold policies can offer cover for pregnancy and birth, weight loss surgery, assisted reproductive services and insulin pumps on top of all the categories provided by silver, bronze and basic hospital insurance.

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Frequently asked questions about health insurance for massage

What types of massage aren’t covered by extras health insurance?

Massages given by non-qualified practitioners or those given purely for pleasure won’t be covered by your health insurance. Remedial massages must be provided by a licenced practitioner who has a qualification in physiotherapy or a similar related field.

Do I have to get a referral from a doctor before I can get a remedial massage?

This will depend on the rules of your particular health fund. Extras policies will only cover treatment that is considered medically necessary, so you may need a referral from your GP to prove to your fund that your remedial massage is medically necessary. 

How long is the waiting period before I can make a claim for remedial massage?

The waiting period you may have to serve if you haven’t previously had cover for remedial massage may depend on your insurer and the level of cover you buy, but is often set at two months. This is because the waiting periods offered with extras cover are less tightly regulated by the Australian Government, making it even more important to compare extras policies carefully. However, if you’ve already served this waiting period with another health fund, or you’re swapping funds to a similar-level policy, you may not have to serve the waiting period again.  

Is acupuncture also included in extras cover?

Acupuncture can be an adjunct treatment to remedial massage to help relieve pain in a particular area of the body. Some higher-level extras policies do offer cover for acupuncture but, like remedial massage, it isn’t common to have this cover with cheap extras policies. 

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