AMTA Federal Update: Five Key Takeaways

1. AMTA is monitoring leadership changes in Washington, D.C. as a result of the 119th Congress, Trump administration appointments, and executive actions that could affect the massage therapy community.
   
   

2. The House and Senate are working on a budget resolution, potentially leading to one or more large-scale budget measures that could impact healthcare policy and spending in areas like Medicare Part C, pain management, and integrative care.
   
   

3. AMTA is working with our allies to educate the incoming Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to encourage his support of integrative therapies, especially those reducing opioid use.
   
   

4. On March 15, 2025, President Trump signed a Continuing Resolution (CR) into law, keeping the government running and extending certain healthcare programs through September 30, 2025. Federal agencies, including HHS and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will continue operating under the CR.
   
   

5. AMTA is closely monitoring White House and “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) actions, including a freeze on NIH activities, which has been partially lifted and could affect grants and public meetings.

Read on for more in-depth information:

Navigating the 119th Congress and a New White House

AMTA is closely monitoring several key developments in Washington, D.C., including leadership changes, new appointments, and executive actions that could affect the massage therapy community. Key areas of focus include the new Republican Committee Chairs for all relevant committees, the appointment and confirmation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy JR., and actions taken by President Trump’s administration—such as the series of Executive Orders and the launch of DOGE.

Budget Reconciliation 

In February, both the House and Senate kicked off the budget process, which will play a pivotal role in advancing the White House’s agenda on issues like tax reform, border policy, and spending. Both chambers have passed separate versions of a “budget resolution,” which serves as a high-level blueprint for federal spending, revenue, and deficit levels. However, the House and Senate are currently at odds over the approach and specific targets. Once Congress reaches an agreement on a final resolution, the relevant committees will develop the policy changes needed to meet these targets. These policies are typically incorporated into a large bill and voted on through “Budget Reconciliation.”

AMTA Action

It is still early in the process, and it remains unclear which healthcare areas may be affected. AMTA is tracking congressional hearings and reviewing budget proposals from both Congress and non-partisan budget offices to identify policies that could directly or indirectly impact massage therapy. Areas of concern include any potential changes to Medicare Part C (which covers massage therapy as a supplemental benefit), access to health care, integrative care, alternatives to opioids, pain management, and more.

119th Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

With Republicans controlling both the House and Senate, along with the White House, there is a trifecta of power. Although we do not believe incoming HHS Secretary Kennedy has made any specific references to massage therapy in the past, we are hopeful that his prior public statements on the U.S. health system would lead him to be generally supportive of integrated medicine, particularly therapies that can reduce reliance on opioids or other pharmaceuticals.

In addition, the House Democrats have launched a Congressional Doctors Caucus. The Congressional Doctors Caucus will work to advance “pragmatic healthcare policy.” This caucus joins the long-established and larger GOP Doctors Caucus in the House. Pragmatic healthcare policy aims to find solutions that work in the real world, taking into account available resources, political feasibility, and the needs of the population. It often involves balancing different interests, such as cost control, access to care, and quality of services, in a way that can be implemented effectively and sustainably.

AMTA Action

AMTA is working with allies in the pain care community to educate key members of Congress and HHS about the benefits of massage and integrative therapies. We are also reminding policymakers of the 2019 HHS final report on Pain Management Best Practices, which specifically endorsed massage therapy.

Funding for the Federal Government

On March 15, 2025, President Trump signed a long-term spending bill, known as a Continuing Resolution (CR), into law. This bill keeps the government running and temporarily extends certain healthcare programs through September 30, 2025, the end of the current fiscal year. Federal agencies, including the Department of HHS and the NIH, will continue operating under the CR.

The House passed the CR with a narrow 217-213 vote, largely along party lines. In the Senate, after some debate, 10 Democrats joined nearly all Republicans in a 62-38 vote to approve the bill.

With the CR in place, Congress can now shift its focus to the FY 2026 budget. These appropriations bills have been delayed as most attention has been on Trump’s agenda and budget policies, rather than on funding decisions.

AMTA Action

AMTA has joined with other health organizations in the research community to urge Congress to pass a long-term bill that ensures stability for NIH and its research portfolio, including areas related to massage therapy and pain management.

Regulatory and White House Actions

In 2024, AMTA was pleased to become a stakeholder member of the NCCIH Coalition for Whole Person Health; we anticipated a series of follow up meetings, including a meeting of the NCCIH general advisory committee in January. However, shortly after taking office, the White House issued a freeze prohibiting NIH from posting official notices in the Federal Register. This effectively halted certain grant awards and public meetings that would have required publication in the Register. We understand that the freeze was partially lifted at the end of February.

AMTA Action

We are closely monitoring these developments to assess any potential impact on AMTA members and will continue to keep our massage therapy community informed of any changes.