11/01/2026 Update:

As of this 11/01/2026, The Garage Massage & Acupuncture has decided to no longer accept VA/TriWest authorizations for services until further notice (that being a full reversal of their recoupment request in addition to a revision of their payment practices).

It is an incredibly difficult decision (especially as one of the owners is a 26-year Veteran himself). However, the mistreatment and misdirection by agents of TriWest have left us feeling doubtful about a positive outcome of our dispute.

Large Massage Therapy agencies like Washington State Massage Therapy Association (WSMTA) have been notified of this systemic and widespread retroactive recoupment demand from TriWest and are taking action.

For more information about this dispute, see these articles from WSMTA:
TriWest Demands Recoupment for Years of Previously Paid Massage Claims
WSMTA Calls for Federal Intervention in TriWest Recoupments Threatening Veterans’ Access to Massage Therapy

10/19/2026 Update:

As of 10/19/2026, The Garage Massage & Acupuncture has decided to pause the acceptance of all new TriWest/VA Authorizations for massage therapy services for the remainder of the calendar year. This is due to an ongoing dispute with TriWest, the third-party administrator for the VA, involving unacceptable recovery of funds for claims rendered between 01/01/2024 - 07/15/2025. Their demands have put financial strain on our practice, and as a small business, we cannot continue to absorb the operational risks brough upon us by their current infrastructure.

We will continue to provide services for our established patients who are already undergoing care through the end date of their current authorization. We will not accept new authorization requests, extensions, or new VA/TriWest patients at this time.

How VA Authorizations work with The Garage

At this time, we do not accept VA Authorizations for Acupuncture services.

You must see a VA physician to begin the process of obtaining an authorization for massage therapy services. Coordination of your authorization is between your VA physician, the VA, and TriWest.

When your services are authorized, we will receive a copy of your massage therapy authorization. This authorization will include a preliminary date range based on the approval of your authorization, and may be adjusted once your initial visit is completed. When we receive the authorization, we will email you a copy as well as the visit amount indicated (usually 12) and the date range. Your authorization will also indicate the diagnosis your services are valid for. This was determined by you and your doctor. Any denials due to treatment beyond the scope of your diagnosis are the patient’s responsibility.

You, the patient, are solely responsible for keeping track of your visits and contacting the VA and your PCP as needed to ensure the smooth processing of claims. This includes any date range extensions or new authorizations.

You will still need to provide a valid payment method for your MindBody profile to book. This is required to remain compliant with our cancellation policy and is not negotiable. If you are concerned about your card being charged for a late-cancelled appointment or a no-show appointment, please read our full cancellation policy.