Insurance Covers Acupuncture, For Now…

Get it while you can…

So all the discourse in the political arena surrounding universal healthcare has left me wondering, what is to come of the progress made in the alternative sector of privatized insurance?

It may come as a surprise to you that health insurance actually covers Acupuncture. At
least half of my patients have coverage. It’s shocking, really. This is an especially great thing for you — and me — for two reasons: it increases the availability and affordability for more individuals, and it creates more options for people with chronic, painful conditions who have tried every drug known to man, to no avail.

Many Acupuncturists won’t go near the insurance companies with a ten-foot pole. Understandably so, considering insurance companies are often a hassle to deal with, and trust me, I deal daily. There are some absurd policies which say acupuncture is a covered benefit. But, on deeper digging, one learns the plan only covers something ridiculous like “in lieu of anesthesia.” (That means instead of being knocked out by really effective drugs during a surgical procedure, you opt to stay awake and have needles numb a particular area of the body…..scary!) I don’t believe there is ever going to be widespread use of that benefit. Who uses Acupuncture in lieu of anesthesia anyway?

Other, more comprehensive plans cover up to 20 visits, and less comprehensive plans only allow six, but that is better than none in my book.

So the question I have is, whether the universal plans will continue to model the benefit plans we currently have, or will they see alternative medicine as “boutique” medicine? Boutique meaning only available to those who can afford to pay out of pocket for a generally costly therapy. There have not been very many studies done in this country on the vast benefits of Acupuncture, leaving Acupuncturists to look somewhat questionable by our esteemed MD friends. Though there have been major steps forward in accepting and legitimizing Acupuncture as therapy within the past few years.

If you are fortunate enough to have health insurance, check your benefits right away for Acupuncture coverage and get it while you can, because in the future, it may be a thing of the past.