Everything you need to know about Registered Massage Therapy under ICBC active rehab in Richmond BC — what the benefit actually covers, what your first 12 weeks usually look like, what happens after the pre-approved window closes, and how to combine RMT with physiotherapy, acupuncture, and kinesiology under one roof. If you have been in a motor vehicle accident in the Lower Mainland and have an open ICBC claim, this guide explains the practical path from the day after your crash through full discharge — and what your treating clinicians actually do at each stage. Artemis Wellness Clinic is an ICBC approved clinic in Richmond at 5911 No. 3 Rd #130, Richmond BC V6X 0K9 — steps from Brighouse SkyTrain. Phone 604-242-2233 or book online at artemis.janeapp.com.
ICBC Enhanced Care: What RMT Coverage Actually Looks Like
Since May 2021, every BC motor vehicle accident claim falls under the Enhanced Care model — a no-fault system that automatically pre-approves a defined block of treatment per discipline regardless of who caused the crash. For Registered Massage Therapy, the pre-approved block is:
- 25 RMT sessions per claim, available within the first 12 weeks of the date of accident
- $0 out of pocket at ICBC-approved clinics that direct-bill (Artemis is on the ICBC provider network)
- No referral required from a physician to begin RMT under the pre-approved window
- Per-discipline allocation — RMT, physiotherapy, acupuncture, kinesiology, chiropractic, and counselling each have their own pre-approved session count under the same claim
That last point matters more than most patients realize. ICBC does not make you choose one discipline. If your injury benefits from RMT plus physiotherapy plus acupuncture, you can use all three concurrently — each draws from its own discipline-specific allocation, not from a single shared pool. This is the architectural advantage of the Enhanced Care model and the practical foundation of multidisciplinary recovery.
The pre-approved window opens automatically on the day ICBC accepts your claim. There is no waiting period, no claim assessor sign-off required, no paperwork between you and your first session. You walk in, present your claim number, and treatment starts.
The First 12 Weeks of an ICBC RMT Plan — Typical Cadence
The 25-session-in-12-weeks math gives you roughly two RMT sessions per week at peak frequency. In practice, very few patients actually use 25 sessions evenly distributed; the cadence ramps with tissue tolerance and tapers as the body recovers.
A typical Richmond ICBC RMT plan from a treating Registered Massage Therapist’s perspective:
Weeks 1-2 (acute phase): 1-2 sessions per week, generally lighter work. The tissue is still inflamed and protective guarding is active. The RMT focuses on calming the nervous system, gentle range-of-motion support, and assessment of which muscle groups have locked down. This is also when coordination with physiotherapy is set up — your physio handles graded movement re-introduction while RMT manages the soft-tissue side.
Weeks 3-6 (subacute phase): 2 sessions per week, work depth increases. Muscle guarding patterns are now well-established and need targeted manual work. This is the densest part of the plan. Cervical and thoracic spine, posterior shoulder girdle, and the lumbar-pelvic complex are the most common focus areas after a typical rear-end collision.
Weeks 7-10 (re-loading phase): 1-2 sessions per week, blended with kinesiology. By now, range of motion is largely restored and the body needs to re-learn loaded movement. RMT shifts toward maintenance of gains and pre-/post-exercise tissue work, while physio and kinesiology drive the loading progression.
Weeks 11-12 (consolidation): 1 session per week or every other week. The plan moves toward discharge or — if needed — extension. Your RMT evaluates whether residual symptoms are clinically significant enough to justify pursuing additional ICBC pre-approval beyond Week 12.
This cadence is illustrative, not prescriptive. Two patients with the same injury can have meaningfully different plans depending on age, training history, work demands, and how the body responds in the first three weeks. For the broader timeline view across all disciplines, see our how long does ICBC cover treatment guide.
Weeks 13+: What Happens After the Pre-Approved Window
The 12-week pre-approval is not a hard ceiling on care — it is the window during which sessions are automatically pre-paid. If your injury still requires ongoing treatment beyond Week 12, two practical pathways exist:
Pathway A — ICBC extension request. Your treating RMT (or physio, or other discipline lead) submits clinical justification to ICBC documenting the ongoing functional impairment, treatment goals, and projected sessions needed. ICBC reviews case-by-case and frequently approves additional blocks when the clinical reasoning is sound. The honest caveat: extension paperwork goes through your treating clinician — not the front desk and not a generic form. The strength of the extension request depends on the clarity of the clinician’s assessment notes, which is why consistent visit documentation throughout Weeks 1-12 matters.
Pathway B — Extended health pivot. Most patients carry an extended health plan (Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield Canada) that covers RMT visits with annual limits in the $300-$1,500 range depending on the policy. As Week 12 approaches, your RMT will review your remaining ICBC allocation and discuss whether transitioning ongoing maintenance care to your extended health plan makes sense. Direct billing applies to most of these carriers — the front desk processes the claim at checkout, identical to ICBC.
In many cases the right answer is a blend: ICBC extension for the medically necessary recovery work, extended health for any maintenance you choose afterward. The clinician’s job is to be honest with you about which symptoms still genuinely need treatment versus which have become preference-based maintenance — those two categories deserve different funding sources.
Common ICBC RMT Presentations We See
Across post-collision presentations at Artemis, five injury patterns dominate:
Whiplash (cervical acceleration-deceleration injury). The classic rear-end collision presentation. Cervical paraspinals, upper trapezius, and suboccipital muscles enter sustained guarding within 24-72 hours. Often paired with tension-type headaches and reduced cervical rotation. Responds well to a structured RMT-plus-physiotherapy combination.
Lower back pain. Frequently presents as lumbar paraspinal guarding plus quadratus lumborum tightness, with referred sensation into the gluteal region. The RMT’s job is to release the protective muscle tone so the physio’s mobility and stability work can actually take effect.
Shoulder dysfunction. Seatbelt-mediated shoulder injuries — the diagonal compression of the seatbelt during a collision generates rotator cuff strain and pectoralis minor restriction patterns that often outlast the obvious bruising by weeks.
Hip and pelvis. Patients who were braced on the brake or steering wheel at impact frequently develop hip flexor and adductor restriction patterns. Less commonly diagnosed but very common in our intake assessments.
Post-MVA chronic guarding. A subgroup of patients enters Week 6+ with persistent whole-body guarding even after specific tissues have resolved. This is the body’s protective nervous system response to the original threat event. Manual therapy combined with graded movement re-exposure is the standard approach.
For richer context on the lower-back and shoulder presentations, see our condition-specific guides linked from the main Richmond RMT services page.
Coordination With Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, and Kinesiology
The single biggest practical advantage of choosing a multidisciplinary clinic for ICBC active rehab is that your treating clinicians can communicate directly without your having to be the messenger. At Artemis, RMT, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and kinesiology all operate from the same in-clinic rehabilitation space — chart notes are shared, treatment plans are coordinated, and same-day combined appointments are routinely scheduled.
A common combined-day pattern for an active ICBC patient:
- 30-minute physiotherapy assessment + corrective exercise progression
- 60-minute RMT session releasing the muscular guarding patterns identified by physio
- (Optional) 30-minute acupuncture session for inflammation modulation and nervous-system regulation
All three draw from separate ICBC discipline allocations — see our ICBC physiotherapy in Richmond BC guide for the physio side of the same Enhanced Care framework. As patients approach Week 8-12, kinesiology becomes the bridge from passive rehab to active loading and return to function — see post-discharge kinesiology for the role of kin in the back half of the plan.
Direct Billing — Artemis Is ICBC-Approved
Artemis Wellness Clinic is on the ICBC approved provider network. The front-desk process at your first visit:
- You bring your claim number and a piece of photo ID
- You complete a one-page consent and billing authorization form
- The clinic submits sessions directly to ICBC at the close of each visit
- Within the pre-approved window, your out-of-pocket cost is $0 for any session falling under your discipline allocation
Outside the pre-approved window, or for elective visits unrelated to your claim, normal RMT pricing and extended health direct billing apply. For complete cost detail by funding source, see our direct billing cost details.
Your Treating Practitioners
ICBC RMT care at Artemis is delivered by Dave Tam RMT Director and the registered massage therapy team — Samuel Cabuay, RMT, and Jonae Ablao, RMT. All three are registrants with the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia and carry the clinical authority to direct-bill ICBC under the Enhanced Care framework. The team coordinates intake assignment so your file stays primarily with one therapist for continuity, while still allowing scheduling flexibility across the team for urgent appointments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I confirm my ICBC claim is approved before booking?
Call the ICBC claim line you were given at the time of your accident, or check via the ICBC online claim portal. Once you have a claim number, you can book directly — Artemis verifies claim status with ICBC’s provider system at intake.
Do I need a lawyer to start RMT under ICBC?
No. Under Enhanced Care, treatment access is independent of any legal process. You can begin RMT immediately upon claim acceptance, regardless of whether you have engaged legal counsel.
Can I switch clinics partway through my ICBC claim?
Yes. Patients are not locked to a single clinic. If you want to transfer your active rehab to Artemis from another provider, simply book in — we coordinate the file handover at intake.
What happens if I need more than 25 RMT sessions?
Your treating RMT submits an extension request to ICBC documenting clinical necessity. Approval is case-by-case. If the extension is declined, your extended health plan typically covers ongoing visits at standard direct-billing rates.
Can I see RMT and physiotherapy on the same day?
Yes, frequently. Combined same-day RMT plus physiotherapy appointments are a standard ICBC active rehab pattern at Artemis, and each session draws from its own discipline-specific ICBC allocation.
Is acupuncture also covered under my ICBC claim?
Yes — acupuncture has its own pre-approved block of 12 sessions in 12 weeks under Enhanced Care. RMT and acupuncture do not compete for the same allocation.
Does the 12-week clock start from the accident date or from my first appointment?
The clock starts from the date of accident. If you wait three weeks before booking, you will have nine weeks of pre-approved window remaining. Earlier intake protects more of the benefit.
What documents do I need at my first ICBC RMT visit?
Your ICBC claim number, photo ID, and any prior imaging or specialist reports if available. Intake forms (consent, health history, ICBC billing authorization) are completed at the clinic.
Book Your Richmond RMT ICBC Active Rehab Session
For Richmond RMT under ICBC active rehab at Artemis Wellness Clinic — 5911 No. 3 Rd #130, Richmond, BC V6X 0K9 (steps from Brighouse SkyTrain) — call 604-242-2233 or book online at artemis.janeapp.com. Direct billing for ICBC, WorkSafeBC, Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, and Green Shield Canada. For broader context on our ICBC offering across all disciplines see our ICBC approved clinic in Richmond guide and the full Richmond RMT services page.
