Is Acupuncture covered by Insurance?

Yes, most insurance companies now have plans that cover acupuncture. With more and more scientific evidence showing benefits, insurance companies realize that covering acupuncture for pain, nausea, and many other disorders can save them money by avoiding costly interventions and long term drug use.  Acupuncture became more widely covered after the NIH (National Institute of Health) approved acupuncture for many types of pain, asthma, and nausea in 1997. Since then, acupuncture use and coverage in the U.S. has expanded and many hospitals now have acupuncturists, even sometimes using acupuncture anesthesia during surgery!

How do I find out if I’m covered? If you would like to use your insurance to pay for acupuncture, it’s worth a try.  Each company has many plans, and some plans cover acupuncture and some do not. We always need to check your plan to see if you have coverage and find out what benefits you have, like what is the copay, is there a deductible, and etc.  You can call your insurance company yourself, and it’s often best if we check for you. Some insurance reps understand the acupuncture coverage and some do not. Here at Balanced Ways Acupuncture in the Hudson Valley, we are always happy to pre-authorize your acupuncture coverage to help avoid unexpected bills. 

To check your coverage for acupuncture benefits, we would need the correct spelling of your name as it appears on your insurance policy, the name of the insurance company and the provider phone number, the member ID number, your date of birth, and your address.  Submit this information to us by email, phone, or text a,d we will find out about your coverage in one to three days.

Also consider using your HSA or FSA.  Many people don’t realize that you can pay for acupuncture with Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)!  There’s no limit, and it covers the full price. You can even use it to pay for Chinese Herbs. If needed, we can easily provide you with a superbill with codes, and an explanation of why it’s medically necessary.  

What about Medicare? Many people also ask if acupuncture is covered by Medicare.  Unfortunately, not yet, but the good news is that the government is seriously considering it this year in response to the opioid crisis.  Alternative, non-drug therapies that can help relieve pain are in demand, and acupuncture is one of the main contenders. A proposal was brought forward this summer and a decision may be made as early as the end of October.  Until then, while Medicare itself does not yet cover acupuncture, sometimes any supplemental plans purchase do cover it, so it’s worth it to check these.

What if I have a high deductible? If you happen to have coverage but with a deductible, consider that non-drug treatments like acupuncture are often a good deal compared to medical treatments, you get more for your money. A thousand dollars of acupuncture could get you 10-20 treatments and really take care of things, improving your overall health in the process, whereas one thousand dollars may be a small fraction of what other therapies cost.  

To find out if our Acupuncture Services Covered by your insurance, 

please, call Balanced Ways Acupuncture (510) 306-0067

Helpful links:

https://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20411946,00.html

https://www.bluecrossmn.com/health-plans-101/acupuncture-what-does-health-insurance-cover