Insurance Company Promotes CAM

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, a provider of employee and voluntary benefits to small and mid-sized companies, announced in April that its group medical plan members now have greater access to discounts on treatments in 38 complementary health-care disciplines, including massage/bodywork.

“Longevity and an aging workforce continue to put pricing pressures on our health-care system,” said Susan O’Connor, assistant vice president, Group Medical, Guardian, in a company press release. “Taking a more holistic approach can help fight obesity, reduce stress and expose people to new ways of promoting good health and wellness and ultimately help reduce health-care costs.”

Guardian’s Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) discount program provides up to 30 percent off the cost of services and treatment at more than 36,000 providers. Many Guardian medical plans already offered coverage for complementary medicine procedures, but clients now have more discipline choices, locations and providers, according to the press release.

Additional types of health care included in the expanded benefits are yoga, Pilates, personal training, nutritional counseling, acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, hypnotherapy, qi gong, tai chi and holistic medicine.

Massage therapists interested in participating in Guardian’s CAM discount program can visit www.GuardianLife.com.