PSHCP massage therapy coverage

The Public Service Health Care Plan pays for massage therapy without a prescription, up to $500 of eligible expenses per calendar year, reimbursed at 80%. Acupuncture has its own $500 maximum on the same terms. The practitioner must be registered, licensed or certified to practise where the service is given, and the plan encourages you to check with Canada Life first, which is worth doing in Alberta, where massage therapy has no regulatory college.

The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) is the health plan of the federal public service; it covers members and their eligible dependants, and Canada Life administers it. Its massage benefit is straightforward: no prescription, a fixed yearly maximum and a fixed reimbursement rate. The one step that needs care in Alberta is confirming that your practitioner qualifies.

What the PSHCP pays for massage and acupuncture

The PSHCP reimburses 80% of eligible massage therapy expenses, up to $500 of expenses in a calendar year, and no prescription is required. Acupuncture works the same way with its own separate $500.

Practitioner	Prescription	Maximum eligible expense	Reimbursement
Massage therapist	Not required	$500 per calendar year	80%
Acupuncturist	Not required	$500 per calendar year	80%
Physiotherapist	Not required	$1,500 per calendar year	80%

Because the $500 is a limit on eligible expenses, not on what you get back, the most the plan returns for massage in a year is 80% of $500, which is $400. Here is how that plays out with our prices:

• 60-minute massage at $120: the plan reimburses $96, and you pay $24.
• 90-minute massage at $157: the plan reimburses $125.60, and you pay $31.40.
• Four 60-minute visits reach $480 of expenses; a fifth visit would be only partly eligible.

The maximum resets each January 1. The table of maximum eligible expenses also notes the massage limit changed mid-2023, when members who had claimed $300 before July 1, 2023 could claim a further $200 that year.

The practitioner rule, and why it matters in Alberta

The PSHCP only pays for practitioners who are registered, licensed or certified to practise in the jurisdiction where the service is given, in accordance with provincial or territorial regulations. The plan encourages members to contact Canada Life before incurring expenses to confirm the practitioner’s credentials qualify.

That advice is worth following in Calgary. Alberta has no regulatory college for massage therapy, so a massage therapist here cannot show a provincial licence the way a therapist in a regulated province can; they are registered through a professional association instead. Before your first PSHCP-funded massage, call Canada Life with your therapist’s name and association and ask whether the claim will be eligible. Our page on massage therapy regulation and benefits in Alberta explains the background.

The same pre-check makes sense for acupuncture: give Canada Life the acupuncturist’s name and registration before the first visit.

Support hose and lymphedema pumps

The PSHCP’s miscellaneous expense benefit covers elasticised support stockings made to individual patient specifications or with a minimum compression of 30 millimetres. That threshold is higher than many plans, so a ready-made 20-30 mmHg stocking may not qualify while a 30-40 mmHg one would. Our page on compression classes and mmHg explains the ranges.

The same benefit covers an extremity pump, such as a lymphapress, limited to one in a lifetime. If you are weighing a pump for lymphedema, talk with your lymphedema therapist and physician about whether it suits your situation before using your single lifetime purchase.

Meeghan Mackenzie, our founder, is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist and Certified Compression Fitter. A 30-minute compression fitting at Renu is $25, and she can help you understand what compression level and garment type your prescription calls for.

How to claim with Canada Life

You can claim online at canadalife.com/pshcp or by mail, and approved online claims are deposited within 24 to 48 hours. For paper claims, send the claim with your receipts to:

Canada Life, Winnipeg Benefit Payments, PO Box 99451 Station Main, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1E6.

Three rules to remember:

1. Deadline. Claims must reach Canada Life no later than December 31 of the year after the year the expense was incurred.
2. Keep copies. Originals sent by mail are not returned.
3. Itemized statements. Supporting documents include itemized statements from the practitioner, so make sure your massage receipt lists the date, service, fee and the therapist’s credentials.

Families, RCMP dependants and second plans

If you and a spouse both have coverage, the PSHCP follows the coordination of benefits guidelines of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, which can bring a family’s reimbursement up to the full cost of a visit. The exact order is in the PSHCP member booklet and plan document. Our page on claiming with two benefit plans explains how coordination usually works.

RCMP members have their own health benefits through Medavie Blue Cross, while their dependants’ health claims go to Canada Life; see RCMP massage therapy coverage for the member side.

Using your PSHCP benefit at Renu

Our Registered Massage Therapists see clients seven days a week in West Hillhurst, with sessions from 30 to 90 minutes booked through Jane. Dr. Will Tanner, an RMT and acupuncturist, provides acupuncture, starting with a 90-minute initial consultation and treatment at $150.

Because the PSHCP reimburses a percentage, not a flat amount per visit, the plan pays the same share of a 45-minute session as of a 90-minute one. Many members find it helpful to decide on a session length and frequency in January that fits the $500, rather than discovering the limit in October.

Questions people ask

Do I still need a doctor's prescription for massage under the PSHCP?

No. The PSHCP's table of maximum eligible expenses says no prescription is required for a massage therapist, and the same applies to acupuncturists and physiotherapists. You only need a receipt that meets the plan's requirements.

How much will I get back from a 60-minute massage under the PSHCP?

The plan reimburses 80% of the eligible expense. On a $120 massage that is $96 back and $24 out of pocket, until your eligible expenses for the year reach $500. After that the plan pays nothing more for massage that calendar year.

Are compression stockings covered by the PSHCP?

Support hose are covered under the miscellaneous expense benefit when they are made to individual specifications or have a minimum compression of 30 millimetres. Lighter ready-made stockings below that level do not meet the wording. Check with Canada Life on any prescription or quantity rules before you order.

When is the deadline to submit a PSHCP massage claim?

Canada Life must receive the claim no later than December 31 of the year after the year you had the massage. A massage in March 2026 can therefore be claimed until December 31, 2027.

Sources

1. PSHCP: Maximum eligible expenses
2. PSHCP: Medical practitioners benefit
3. PSHCP: Miscellaneous expense benefit
4. PSHCP: How to submit a paper claim
5. PSHCP: Home page (plan overview)
6. PSHCP: Coordination of benefits

Page reviewed October 5, 2026. This page is education, not a diagnosis. For your own situation, talk to your doctor, surgeon or care team, or ask us.