ZEEL NETWORKS, INC.

HCR · Health Issues

Medicare-based payment methodology applied to medical massage therapy (MMT) furnished to veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Community Care Program: Department of Veterans Affairs letters of October 3, 2025 to Community Care Network third-party administrators TriWest Healthcare Alliance (Region 4, Contract 36C10G19D0038) and Optum (Region 1, Contract 36C79119D0004), and related VA guidance, applying Medicare rules, including the multiple procedure payment reduction and Medicare-derived coding, to massage therapy services Medicare does not cover; reimbursement and coding of MMT treatment and education services in Community Care; effect on provider networks and veteran access to non-opioid pain care. Congressional requests for information and oversight questions to VA on these directives. Federal policy on non-opioid pain management therapies, including medical massage therapy.

VET · Veterans

H.R. 8469, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027, and H. Rept. 119-622 (Title II, Veterans Health Administration, Medical Services, "Therapeutic Massage Services"), urging VA to reevaluate its directives on medical massage therapy, and VA implementation of that report language. H.R. 9237, Take Care of America's Veterans Act, Title VI (Veterans Community Care Program), and S. 4744, Take Care of America's Veterans Act, provisions relating to a Government Accountability Office study of VA capacity for non-opioid therapies, including massage therapy, in community care. Proposed Member letters on Community Care MMT reimbursement: a proposed Member letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; a proposed state delegation letter regarding VA medical centers. The September 21, 2026 NASDVA and veterans service organization coalition letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. A Senate request for information to VA on MMT access.

Literal federal measure citations: H.R. 8469, H.R. 9237, S. 4744