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- Generally, an insurance company will not pay for a hot tub
- A hot tub must be for primarily therapeutic purposes to be paid for by insurance
- The insurance company will ask for proof to verify your hot tub is therapeutic and not for leisure
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Sometimes, it can be surprising what your health insurance will cover. This is especially applicable to expenses that one would not normally associate with health insurance. One of those expenses is the cost of buying a hot tub. Since a hot tub is typically a luxury and not related to medical expenses at all, it may seem like an easy question to answer definitively. However, since there are cases in which a hot tub serves a medicinal purpose, it is more of an open question as to whether or not your health insurance will pay for a hot tub for you.
However, since there are cases in which a hot tub serves a medicinal purpose, it is more of an open question as to whether or not your health insurance will pay for a hot tub for you.
Find a health plan that can cover your therapeutic needs by comparing free quotes in the box above!
Possible Exclusions
Different health insurance policies have different standards for what they will cover and what they will not cover. For instance, some will cover the cost of prescription drugs while others will not. In the case of a hot tub, it is entirely possible that the health insurance company will pay for the expense under the correct circumstances.
This is only certainly not the case if the health insurance plan specifically excludes a hot tub from what it will cover. Sometimes this is the case; otherwise, it is possible that your health insurance will cover this.
A Prescription for a Hot Tub
While most people would associate a hot tub with leisure, this may not always be the case. In certain situations, a hot tub could be considered a medical expense. One of the circumstances that would qualify a hot tub as a medical expense is in the event that a doctor prescribes hot tub therapy.
Such a prescription is not entirely common, but it can happen depending upon your medical condition. If it does, it is likely that your insurance could cover it.
Why would you need hot tub therapy?
Hot tub therapy was briefly mentioned in the previous section. However, why would someone require such a treatment? The main reason why hot tub therapy could be useful in helping someone is if they are injured
That is not the only reason, however. Hot tub therapy, also known as a type of hydrotherapy, confers significant and diverse benefits to those who utilize it properly.
It is not necessary to have an injury in order to benefit from such a treatment and hydrotherapy does so much more.
What is hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy is defined as the utilization of water in treating disease or injury. Hydrotherapy has existed for many centuries, dating all the way back to the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. One of the reasons it has endured for so long is that it really does work and gives quite a few benefits to those who use it.
Cold and hot water are utilized in conjunction to address whatever health concern you are trying to treat. Cold water stimulates and invigorates the body, while hot water soothes the body.
Hydrotherapy and Arthritis
Hydrotherapy is not only for the treatment of injuries. Those who suffer from chronic pain conditions such as arthritis will find hydrotherapy particularly helpful. Hydrotherapy supplements someone’s fitness as it relates to their cardiovascular condition.
Additionally, this benefit can be especially important for those who have severe types of arthritis. Hydrotherapy can soothe their aching joints and allow their entire body to relax. It is also an alternative to strenuous physical therapy, which may be very difficult for those with severe arthritis to complete without significant amounts of pain.
Benefits of Hydrotherapy
There are additional benefits of hydrotherapy that have not been addressed thus far. One of those benefits is significantly multiplying the amount of waste elimination, which aids in detoxifying the body. A further benefit is helping the body relax and allowing tense muscles to loosen.
It also increases digestion activity and making the metabolic rate higher. Additionally, hydrotherapy hydrates the cells, which serves to improve skin tone and muscle tone. The immune system is also made more efficient. Even internal organs now perform better because the blood supply going to them is stimulated.
Hydrotherapy and Sleep
One area in which hydrotherapy provides unexpected benefits is in the realm of sleep. Many people struggle from sleep related issues and hydrotherapy can safely address those issues.
Hydrotherapy can help with this problem by improving circulation throughout the body. The warm water can also help the body relax and allow you to fall asleep more easily. Also, hydrotherapy can improve your sleep patterns by increasing your body temperature which can aid in sleeping well.
How to Get Insurance Companies to Pay for a Hot Tub
The first step in getting an insurance company to pay for a hot tub is providing proof of your injury or illness. One type of such proof is an X-Ray of the injury. An MRI is another acceptable form of evidence proving that you have an injury.
Your doctor may also give you a statement summarizing their opinion and that a hot tub would serve a therapeutic purpose in your case. This may help convince the insurance company to pay for your hot tub.
Hot Tubs and Taxes
There are more regulations to note when discussing therapeutic hot tubs. In the event that an insurance company agrees to pay for your hot tub, you cannot deduct that cost on your tax return.
In the event that you pay for the hot tub and the insurance company pays you back at a later date, the same is true. Deducting the cost of that is not allowed on your tax return regardless of the circumstances.
Therapeutic Hot Tubs and Health Care Plans
Whether or not a therapeutic hot tub will be covered under your health care plan depends a great deal on what kind of health care plan you have. If you have a group health insurance plan provided by your employer, it is likely you will have to pay for it yourself. Such plans are not likely to cover a hot tub.
Your individual health insurance plan may cover the cost of a hot tub. However, you must establish that the hot tub is primarily for medicinal purposes before an insurance company will pay for it.
Reviewing Hot Tubs and Insurance
Hot tubs and health insurance are not typically topics which you might think coincide with one another. However, they may due to the circumstances. Hot tubs that are primarily for therapeutic benefits may be covered by your insurance company or they will reimburse you for the cost of such an item.
However, your insurance company will do everything to verify you are not buying it for other reasons. If that cannot be proven, it is unlikely that your insurance company will pay for the hot tub.
Before you go, enter your zip code below for a free health insurance quotes comparison!
[su_spoiler title=”References:” icon=”caret-square” style=”fancy” open=”yes”]
- http://olympichottub.com/hot-tubs-sauna-blog/2012/04/how-to-get-insurance-to-pay-for-your-hot-tub-therapy/
- http://www.thermospas.com/why-get-a-hot-tub/therapy/
- http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/hydrotherapy
- http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/news/20031124/hydrotherapy-eases-osteoarthritis
- https://onesmarthottub.wordpress.com/for-your-health/how-hydrotherapy-helps-common-sleep-disorders/
- http://www.insurancelibrary.com/health-insurance/will-health-insurance-pay-for-a-hot-tub
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