Remedial massage can be covered under private health insurance for less than $18 a month.
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*Prices updated November 2024, in line with Finder's database of health insurance policies. Prices reflect the cheapest available for a single individual with less than $97,000 income and living in Sydney with a $750 excess.
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Key takeaways
Remedial massage can be exceptionally helpful for people that suffer from pain due to an injury or general wear-and-tear.
In Australia, it is recognised as a viable treatment and can be included in extras cover.
You could find a policy with a combined annual limit that includes other natural therapies or treatments.
What is remedial massage?
Remedial massage is not the same as a massage performed for relaxation; remedial massage is a type of physiotherapy and a treatment for specific ailments. It can help if you have muscle tension or chronic joint pain. By manipulating and applying pressure to specific muscles and parts of the body, remedial massage can treat carpal tunnel syndrome, back injuries and even headaches.
How to get a remedial massage health fund rebate
If you have remedial massage in your extras cover, private health insurers will pay a percentage of your remedial massage costs. This is often paid as a discount per session. Additional costs, such as the cost of purchasing medication, may not be included in your cover.
Remedial massage cover limits are sometimes combined with the maximum benefit for other complementary therapies such as acupuncture. Your insurer will only pay a benefit if you use the services of a recognised practitioner. Practitioners are recognised by insurers if they've completed a diploma in remedial massage.
Finder survey: How many Australians take out extras cover for remedial massage
Response
Female
Male
Remedial massage
5.36%
3.13%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1006 Australians, December 2023
Private health cover for less than $18 per month
You can find remedial massage limits as part of extras. Sometimes you get a combined annual limit that includes other natural therapies or treatments.
The following table shows extras cover from Finder partners who offer remedial massage - they all have a 2 month wait period. All prices are based on a single individual with less than $97,000 income and living in Sydney.
Each month we analyse over 10,000 extras insurance products and rate each one on price and features. What we end up with is a nice round number out of 10 that helps you compare extras cover a bit faster.
We want to compare apples to apples, not apples to apple pie. It doesn't make sense to compare a top extras policy with coverage for hearing aids and braces against a policy designed only for dental. So we've separated all the extras policies on the market into pools and categories. Once in their pools and categories, each product gets a price score and a features score, which are then combined to give the Final Score.
Once you’ve selected a recognised therapist, you will need an initial assessment. An initial assessment details your medical history as well as the reason(s) for the massage therapy so that the masseuse can tailor the treatment to your circumstances.
Is remedial massage covered by Medicare?
Medicare does not provide cover for remedial massage. For private cover, remedial massage is a common inclusion in natural or alternative therapy cover. Remedial massage is also a worker’s compensation benefit.
Private insurers may refund you a percentage of the cost of your treatment or they may have a flat fee rebate structure in place.
"When choosing a health insurance policy, having access to remedial massages is one of my top priorities. I often get lower back pain and find myself needing a massage almost every two weeks. A 30min back massage does the trick, and after using my health insurance I’ll usually only pay about $15 out of pocket."
Remedial massage can help relieve muscle and joint pain and soreness. It can help if you’ve suffered an injury, for example from sports, work or a car accident, or if you have an ongoing physical ailment such as back problems. Remedial massage can even help you deal with the discomfort of pregnancy.
The following are just some of the common conditions and injuries that remedial massage therapy can help you with:
Arthritis
Back pain and injuries
Whiplash
Shin splints
Repetitive strain injury and carpal tunnel syndrome
Muscle cramps
Sporting injuries
Dancing injuries
You don’t need to be a millionaire to get private cover for ancillary treatments. Insurers include remedial massage in extras policies for less than $18 per month.
"I have extras health insurance cover with AHM and through this I am able to claim some money back from my monthly remedial massages. Not only are the massages great for my aches and muscles, but AHM's extras cover is also great for my bank balance. The best part of the process is that the discount comes straight off the total price when I'm paying for my massage, as I can scan my AHM card there and then. This makes it all very easy!"
Clare Lee
Finder crew member
Features to look for in a health insurance policy
These policy terms and conditions are common among insurers and may impact your ability to make a claim on remedial massage therapy:
Treatment purpose. You cannot claim for remedial massage therapy if you’re not attending the appointment for a specific reason.
Treatment frequency. If you plan on attending multiple remedial massage sessions in the one day from the same practitioner, you can only claim once.
One claim. If you can claim a rebate from multiple sources, for example from your private health insurance and work cover, you can only claim from one source.
Preferred providers. In all cases, you must seek treatment from a recognised remedial massage therapist. You may be able to choose your own therapist from outside your insurer’s practitioner network.
Waiting periods. For natural therapies such as remedial massage or acupuncture, you need to wait a minimum of two months after you’ve taken out cover before you can make a claim. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, the waiting period can be as long as 12 months.
Qualifications. Insurers will not recognise a remedial massage therapist if they have received their qualifications online or by distance education.
Frequently asked questions
If you change health funds, any loyalty bonuses you have accrued will not be transferred to the new fund. However, if you do change funds, any premiums you’ve paid will be considered when working out your new benefits.
You can get cover from the time you join a new fund (with no waiting periods) if you’re taking out a policy that offers the same benefits as your previous fund and you join within two months of leaving that fund.
You can compare private health insurance policies that offer extras cover (and hospital cover) using convenient online comparison websites such as Finder.
You may need to attend a practice within your insurer’s approved network of remedial massage therapists to get your rebate. Therapists who are members of an insurer's network should be able to assist with on-the-spot claims.
You can make an on the spot claim with your insurer by swiping your private health insurance membership card in the therapist's HICAPS machine. When you make an on-the-spot claim, you only need to pay the gap. This is the difference between the cost of the remedial massage treatment and what the insurer will pay for the service.
If you’re unable to make an on-the-spot claim, you can get a refund by making a claim with the insurer directly. This can usually be completed online.
Andrew Munro was the global cryptocurrency editor at Finder. During his time he covered all aspects of cryptocurrency and the blockchain. Before he became cryptocurrency editor, he was a content writer for Finder covering various topics over his nearly 5 years in the role. Prior to joining Finder he was a web copywriter. Andrew has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales. See full bio
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Depending on your age, you may be eligible for an
aged-based discount. This is used to estimate your
rebate.
Under 65
65 - 69
70 or older
What's your household's taxable income?
This is the combined income you and your spouse earn before tax. It's needed to calculate the correct Australian government rebate.
$93,000 and under
$93,001 to $108,000
$108,001 to $144,000
$144,001 and over
What kind of health insurance do you need?
Combined (Extras + Hospitals)
Extras
Hospital
What level of hospital coverage would you like?
You can change this at any time later.
Legend
Covered
Restricted cover, You may be partially covered for
this category.
Not covered. Optional for insurer to include.
*Prices updated March 2024, in line with Finder's
database of health insurance policies. Prices are based
on a single individual with less than $93,000 income and
living in Sydney with a $750 excess.
What extras cover do you need? (Optional)
Select as many as you want or move to the next step
Preventative & general dental
Major dental & implants
Optical
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Non-PBS pharmaceuticals
Chiropractic
Emergency ambulance
Remedial massage
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