Why I'm not doing health fund rebates right now.

I am asked often why I don't provide health fund rebates, and I'm going to explain why.

Please stay with me, it's a bit of a lengthy read.

In 2013-2015 I successfully completed HLT50307 Diploma of Remedial Massage through the Australian College of Massage.

Any other therapists who graduated from study before 2015 would have likely done HLT50307 or even an earlier diploma number.

All that needed to be done was then to join a massage association, purchase insurance, and apply to the private health funds for a provider number.

I just love studying, and had chosen to study the diploma at the time but was still dancing professionally, full time, overseas, which I did from 2007-2018.

For this reason, I didn't see logic in spending hundreds of dollars on membership with AMT (The Association of Massage Therapists) and insurance, when I assumed I would be able to apply for it later on, when I wrapped up my dancing career, and if I decided to pursue massage.

I'm now a member of the Association of Massage Therapists and am insured by Fenton and Green, however both of these cost several hundred dollars each year.

To complete my diploma I had to pass theory and practical exams back home in Sydney, but I was moving between contracts in the Philippines, and the Czech Republic during these years, so I finished the exams and didn't consider I would necessarily ever work as a massage therapist. 

My career in ballet was one I am incredibly proud of, which actually led me to massage, through experience of injury and discovering that massage always gave me the best results.

I had so many injuries, which now inform the way I train myself, (more intelligently and patiently) and coach and treat others.

I tried physiotherapy, osteotherapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, reiki, ultrasound, remedial massage, and other therapies, but I always came back to massage providing the most relief- regardless of the soft or hard tissue injury I was dealing with.

In 2015, private health funds underwent a huge restructure, they removed some therapies like pilates and naturopathy, and in response, the Remedial Massage Diploma was also renewed.

To be honest, the Diploma, like many other courses, is constantly updated, so this was nothing unusual.

The diploma has since been superseded by HLT52015 and now HLT52021.

I assumed it would be easy enough to come home to Australia and apply for the provider numbers, but no; I discovered that if I had already had the provider numbers since I graduated in 2015 I would have been "allowed" to continue with them, but it was too late now.

The feedback I've been given when I speak with any college regarding recognition of prior learning to be awarded the new but equivalent diploma in remedial massage, or when I've reached out to private health funds, is that I would have to commit to studying the entire diploma all over again.

Two years part time or one year full time.

Have I been tempted to redo the study?

Yes, but it's simply not worth it.

I've built a thriving and beautiful business over the last seven years full time.

Am I a little bit heartbroken every time someone expresses their disappointment that I can't offer them a rebate?

Yes.

Am I pretty sad when a potential new client won't come to see me because I won't be able to provide them with a receipt to claim back $30 worth of massage from their insurer?

Yes, I really really am.

I'm frustrated by the silly decision I made without foresight. 

Sure it would have costs me a couple of thousand dollars to maintain association membership and insurance while I wasn't even using it to work as a therapist, but it would have saved me so much frustration now, and given more people access to my work than current is so. 

I hope now you have understanding of why I don't offer private health fund rebates.

I am, sadly, not the only therapist who got caught up in this conundrum!

Thank you so much to those of you who continue to visit me, despite not receiving a refund.

I appreciate those of you who see the benefit in what I do, and that it outweighs a few dollars you might be able to receive by seeing another therapist.

I truly promise to care for you to the very best of my ability.

I always continue my professional development each year to stay up to date and knowledgeable for you!

Thanks if you managed the patience to read until the end.