How might the Canada Health Act be modernized in massage therapy?
- Kethra Stewart
- Feb 1, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 21, 2023
Massage therapy is now regarded as a medical benefit; anyone with company benefits can access massage therapy as part of rehabilitation. Massage therapists work with clients’ doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and acupuncturists. My current role as a letter carrier with Canada Post is non-health care related. Still, I chose to be a union member as part of the agreement between the Federal government and workers for safe work practices, regulations, and health benefits. Therefore, I pay fees for being a Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) member. I am a casual employee and do not qualify for benefits. However, as a part or full-time union member at Canada Post, I can access up to $400.00 for massage therapy as part of medical benefit treatment.
I understand the health care system regarding my role as a massage therapist, though only some provinces in Canada are regulated. For instance, when I worked as a registered massage therapist (RMT) in Edmonton, Alberta, from 2017-2018, massage therapists were not required to be regulated. The regulated provinces in Canada are British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. The provinces that still need to be regulated are Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia.
Currently, I am not employed as a massage therapist. However, I hold an associate certification from Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC ) as a non-practicing massage therapist in British Columbia. I maintain my associate certification with NHPC by paying yearly fees for membership and acquiring the twenty mandatory credits every three years.
My role as a non-registered/insured massage therapist in British Columbia can be classified as an independent contractor within the Canadian Health system. For example, suppose I want to work as a massage therapist in Kelowna, British Columbia, without registration at home or in a mobile setting. In that case, I must apply for a business license through the British Columbia registry to work as an independent massage therapist. I would also have to change my membership with NHPC to active membership to be insured and to direct bill insurance companies for payment or reimbursement of medical costs. The healthcare role related to the Canadian health system is medical care. This can be funded through individuals with benefits of insurance or work companies or solely paid individually if there are no employee benefits.
If I were to pursue a massage therapist career in a medical setting in BC, I would need to complete the provincial exams and pay fees to be registered through the College of Massage therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC). In addition, massage therapists in BC are regulated under the Canada health professions act. Please see my current resources for CUPW, NHPC, and CMTBC to maintain my massage therapy certification, legislation, regulation, and funding in my province, BC, Canada.
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