I NO LONGER ACCEPT ANY INSURANCE AT MY PRACTICE
Contact your insurance company to inquire if acupuncture is a covered benefit. We will provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
- State and federal insurance plans almost always have acupuncture riders included, and acupuncture is typically covered at 70% to 80%.
- Many large companies have the option to purchase an acupuncture rider. Contact your company’s human resource department or contact the insurance company directly.
- Many insurance providers now cover acupuncture. Contact your insurance company to inquire if acupuncture is a covered benefit.
- Some insurance providers now have a network of acupuncturists, and generally do not offer out-of-network benefits. I do not participate with any of these plans.
- Several insurance companies in New Jersey now cover acupuncture.
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP) automobile accident coverage does cover acupuncture. I do not accept PIP cases.
- Workers’ Compensation sometimes covers acupuncture. I do not accept Workers’ Compensation cases.
- Medicare covers acupuncture for low back pain. I am not a Medicare provider and Medicare does not have out-of-network benefits. Medicare does not allow acupuncturists to be acupuncture providers. I do not accept Medicare cases.
- AETNA SEHBP Educators Medicare, along with some other Medicare Advantage Plans, have some acupuncture coverage. I do not participate with or accept Medicare Advantage plans.
- Medicaid does not cover acupuncture.
- AARP insurance does not cover acupuncture.
- Acupuncture is acceptable for most health savings accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), and is a tax-deductible medical expense. I can accept all HSA and FSA cards.
In my own practice, I am an out-of-network provider any insurance company that does cover acupuncture. This means my services are covered at out-of-network rates. There are too many plans to list here. Contact your insurance company directly to see if acupuncture is a covered benefit.
If a person has a plan that covers acupuncture, they will be given a coded superbill which they can easily submit for reimbursement directly from the insurance company.
In my practice, no person will be denied treatment due to lack of financial resources. Please contact the office if you need to discuss this issue..
Other Considerations Regarding Insurance
- Most companies in New Jersey have parity laws – that is, they do not discriminate between certified acupuncturists and medical doctors who also practice acupuncture (either they cover acupuncture or they don’t).
- Many insurance companies advertise acupuncture, but do not really cover it. They outsource a network of discount providers who offer discounts to patients in exchange for referrals from the insurance company. These are generally new practitioners looking to build a practice. I do not participate with any acupuncture insurance networks.
- Be sure to confirm the details of insurance arrangements prior to starting any treatment, and document the call and the insurance agent. Patients are often surprised find out their treatments are not really covered.
- I no longer accept insurance because the compensation does not match the time, energy and attention that are given to patients. The additional strain on resources to process, track and continually negotiate with insurance companies only takes away valuable time from my practice and patients.