If you have extended health benefits through work, part of your massage or acupuncture coverage may still be sitting unused. Most plans run on the calendar year, and in most plans whatever you don't use by December 31 does not carry over. A few minutes of checking now can turn that leftover coverage into the care you have been putting off.

Why December matters

Many group benefit plans reset on January 1, which means your yearly maximum for massage therapy or acupuncture starts over. Some plans follow a different year, such as your employer's fiscal year, so it is worth confirming your date.

December is also one of our busiest months. Evening and weekend appointments go first, so booking early gives you the best choice of times and practitioners.

Check what you have left in five minutes

1. Open your insurer's app or member website and find the section for health practitioners or paramedical services.
2. Find massage therapy, and acupuncture if you use it. Note your yearly maximum and how much you have already used.
3. Look for a per visit limit. Some plans cap what they pay for each appointment, which helps you choose a session length.
4. Check your coverage percentage, such as 80% or 100%, so you know what you will pay at your visit.
5. Check whether you need a doctor's referral. Some plans ask for one before they cover massage therapy.

Make your coverage go further

• Book a short series. Two or three sessions a week or two apart can be easier to fit into what is left, and they give your body time between visits.
• Match the session to your plan. If your plan has a per visit limit, a 60 or 75 minute session may use your coverage best.
• Use a second plan. If you are also covered on a spouse's plan, you can often claim the rest of a visit there.
• Check your Health Spending Account. If you have one, it may cover massage too, and it has its own year end.
• Remember acupuncture. It often has its own separate maximum, so you may have two pots of coverage, not one.

the care you have been putting off may already be covered

What we can bill directly

• Massage with our Registered Massage Therapists: therapeutic, deep tissue, prenatal and postpartum, hot stone, cupping and manual lymphatic drainage. We direct bill most insurers, including Sun Life, GroupHEALTH, Johnston Group, Desjardins, GroupSource, Chambers Plan and First Canadian.
• Acupuncture with Dr. Jennifer Peck: direct billing to many insurers, including Alberta Blue Cross, Manulife, Sun Life, GreenShield, Desjardins and Telus AdjudiCare.
• Not eligible: energy work, intuitive guidance and sound sessions with practitioners who are not RMTs.

Learn more about direct billing at Soluna, see all prices, or read about acupuncture with Dr. Peck.

No benefits? Give the gift of calm

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