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Massage Therapy Reduces Health Care Costs
Research conducted by John Dunham & Associates (JDA), a leader in the field of tax
and regulatory economic impact studies, found that integrating massage therapy into
medical care can reduce health care costs. The American Massage Therapy Association
(AMTA) has released the research to reinforce the relationship between massage
therapy and costs of care.
Patient Savings
“The research findings indicate that integrating massage therapy into ongoing care has a positive outcome for patients and in many cases lowers health care costs,” said Jeff
Smoot, AMTA President. “The information in this study can help support a national
dialogue on the detailed cost effectiveness of massage therapy and provide a starting
point for conversations among patients and their health care providers.”
Significant Cumulative Savings
- When the total number of treatments is analyzed cumulatively across approximately 66 million outpatient services, the research indicates that private insurers could save as much as $4.55 billion in costs annually, if they were to cover massage therapy nationally.
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For individuals, the benefits of massage therapy accrue when taken as part of a comprehensive treatment system, and the data indicate that visiting a massage therapist in place of additional hours at the hospital or doctor’s office, or substituting massage in place of some other treatment, is where the savings truly emerge.
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A growing number of medical centers throughout the U.S. now fully integrate massage therapy into patient care, including the Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Duke Integrative Medicine program, Cleveland Clinic and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.
Economic Impact of Massage Therapy
The economic impact of massage therapy is significant in the U.S. It is estimated to be
an $11.7 billion industry in 2014. U.S. consumers continue to seek out professional
massage to support their health and wellness goals. According to the annual 2014
American Massage Therapy Association Consumer Survey, between July 2013 and July
2014, roughly 32.6 million adult Americans (15 percent) had a professional massage at
least once.
