Reimbursement Update: Massage Therapy CPT Code 97124

Effective Oct. 26, 2026, Highmark will no longer allow for the separate reimbursement of CPT code 97124 for providers designated in the following specialties: Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physiatry. If code 97124 is billed, it will be denied as not separately reimbursed and non-billable to the member.

This change applies to our Commercial and Medicare Advantage products.

Note: Massage therapists billing as the rendering provider will not be affected by this policy direction.

Highmark will update Reimbursement Policy (RP)-051: Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction for Therapy Services to reflect this change, effective Oct. 26.

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy (CPT 97140) should be reported only when the service meets the CPT definition for manual therapy techniques and is supported by documentation.

We encourage you to review your billing practices to ensure compliance with this updated policy.

Highmark is committed to ensuring our members receive high-quality, affordable care, and we continually review our reimbursement policies to align with industry best practices and ensure fair and consistent payment for services.