Whiplash, and what Florida insurance will and will not pay for
Two things you need to know, and the second one nobody tells you until you have already booked.
There are a few things worth checking first
What the sessions are actually like
Slow, and lighter than people expect at the start. Necks that have been hit do not want anybody being clever with them in the first few weeks, and I would rather do too little on the first visit than too much.
Most of it is the neck, the upper back and the shoulders, and often the jaw and the base of the skull. If you are guarding one side, the other side has been doing all the work and it usually needs as much attention.
I come to you, which after a collision matters more than usual — driving is often the thing that hurts most.
Your doctor clears you first
Not me. Neck and back pain after a collision needs to be looked at properly before anyone starts working on it, and the timing of when soft-tissue work becomes appropriate is a medical decision.
Once you are cleared, bring me whatever they told you. If they want a written note after each session, they get one.
Florida PIP does not pay for massage
This surprises almost everyone. Section 627.736(1)(a)5 of the Florida Statutes took massage therapy out of PIP medical benefits, effective January 2013. The exclusion applies regardless of who provides the service, and the statute separately says a licensed massage therapist may not be reimbursed under it. That is still the law today.
So if someone offers to bill your PIP for massage, ask them to show you the statute first.
What people actually do instead
Most pay out of pocket. If you are represented by an attorney, they can send me a letter of protection and I bill the settlement instead — that is a normal arrangement and your attorney will know exactly what it means.
Either way I will tell you the cost before you book, not after.
Questions
Does my car insurance pay for massage in Florida?
No. Section 627.736(1)(a)5 excludes massage therapy from PIP medical benefits, and that exclusion applies regardless of who provides the service — routing it through another practice does not change it. The statute separately says a licensed massage therapist may not be reimbursed under PIP. Effective January 2013, and still the law.
What is a letter of protection?
A written agreement, sent by your attorney, that my bill is paid out of your settlement when the case resolves rather than by you at the time. It is not insurance and it is not a waiver — if the case does not settle, the bill is still yours. Ask your attorney whether it is right for you.
How soon after the accident can I come?
When your doctor says so. Ask them specifically about soft-tissue work, and tell me what they said.