Does MSP cover physiotherapy?
If you live in British Columbia, the provincial health care plan covers some people for a limited amount of physiotherapy.
Who gets MSP coverage for physiotherapy?
If you qualify for Supplementary Benefits, you have some physiotherapy coverage through MSP.
You could be eligible for Supplementary Benefits if:
- Your family’s adjusted net income is less than $42,000 a year.
- You receive Income Assist.
- You’re in a B.C. correctional facility.
- You’re a convention refugee.
- You live in a long-term care facility and receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS.)
- You’re enrolled in the MSP as a Mental Health client or through the At Home program.
- You’re a First Nations member with valid coverage through the First Nations Health Authority.
How much physiotherapy does MSP cover?
If you’re eligible for Supplementary Benefits, MSP covers a limited amount of physiotherapy.
The government plan covers $23 per physiotherapist visit up to a maximum of 10 visits per calendar year. You must pay for the rest of the amount out-of-pocket.
Your 10-visit maximum per calendar year is also meant to cover other supplementary health care, like acupuncture or massage therapy.
This means that if you visit a podiatrist 3 times, and a naturopath 2 times, you only have 5 more MSP-covered visits left in that calendar year that you can use to help cover physiotherapy or other supplementary health needs.
It’s also important to know many physiotherapists have opted-out of the MSP. This means that they can charge more than a standard fee for their services. If this is the case, your physiotherapist is obliged to tell you they’re opted-out, how much of the visit will be covered by MSP, and how much more you will have to pay out-of-pocket.
Can private health insurance help cover physiotherapy that MSP doesn’t cover?
Yes. Private health insurance can help cover the out-of-pocket cost of physiotherapy your government plan doesn’t cover.
For example, our Freedom to Choose health and dental insurance offers several levels of coverage for physiotherapy.
Our popular Select plus plan covers $400 per calendar year per practitioner, up to $40 per visit.
Unlike MSP, this means that you get $400 per calendar year for each individual practitioner, meaning your spending on acupuncture doesn’t cut into your spending on physio.
If you have workplace benefits, you may also have some coverage for physiotherapy.
What are the benefits of physiotherapy?
From pain management to injury recovery and prevention, physiotherapy can be an important part of your overall wellness.
For example, according to the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, 4 out of 5 Canadians will have at least 1 episode of lower back pain in their lives. Physiotherapy can be a key tool in alleviating this discomfort and helping to prevent further issues.