1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I’m writing to advocate for a treatment – medical massage therapy (MMT) – that has greatly benefited me and other veterans at a lower cost to the VA than other treatments. MMT reduces my pain, has reduced my dependence on opioids and other pain medications, helps me to sleep better, improves my mood, helps me to move better, and allows me to perform simple tasks around the house more easily. Most importantly, unlike other forms of prescription pain management, MMT works to reduce the scourge of opioid use, which often results in a dangerous and even deadly addiction to prescription painkillers. Unfortunately, shortly after Veterans Day, no less, my medical massage therapist told me that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been underpaying all massage therapists in the Community Care Network (CCN) by applying inapplicable Medicare discounting and bundling rules to billings. These rules generate up to a 40% discount on one hour of MMT, resulting in a rate that is below the cost to deliver the care and that is neither a fair wage nor a living wage for the effort expended, resulting in many massage therapists quitting the program. Ultimately, veterans like me will now lose access to this life changing treatment. I urgently request that you reverse the VA’s decision for MMT, a critical non-opioid, non-surgical, cost-effective treatment for veterans in pain, including veterans experiencing suicidal ideation. Otherwise, the program cannot survive. Thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter.