05/14/2012
On May 4, 2012, Governor Rick Scott signed Florida House Bill 119, which reforms Florida’s mandatory no-fault auto insurance law, also known as “Personal Injury Protection” (PIP). The new law excludes massage from the medical benefits that are covered under PIP. Thus, beginning January 1, 2013, massage therapists can no longer receive PIP reimbursement for massage services. If you currently bill PIP for massage therapy performed in connection with auto accidents, you will not be able to do so after December 31 of this year.
The new law is aimed at reducing fraudulent PIP claims, which have become a widespread problem in Florida. In addition to eliminating coverage for massage therapy, the new law also excludes PIP benefits for acupuncture, requires that accident victims seek medical treatment within 14 days of their injuries, and limits reimbursement for non-emergency medical conditions to $2,500, among other things.
The full text of the law can be found at: http://laws.flrules.org/files/Ch_2012-197.pdf.
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