Insurance
Many people assume their insurance policies won’t cover acupuncture sessions. But that’s not true. The following companies often do pay for acupuncture, as well as all the other related hands-on modalities, such as Cupping, Tuina medical massage and electro-acupuncture:
United Healthcare Cigna Blue Cross/Blue Shield (out of state)
In addition, if you’re an Aetna or Humana policyholder, you treatments may fall under a new program called “Tivity,” which will make available 6 free treatments along with additional ones at a discounted price.
Unfortunately, Florida Blue rarely covers acupuncture, although the policies of public employees – teachers, firefighters etc … – often have benefits.
The Acupuncture Visit
A visit to an acupuncturist should be a relaxing, healing experience.
Those who’ve had a treatment or more are over any blocks. Acupuncture offices tend to me quiet and comfortable, all done so to promote inner and outer calm. But let’s face it, the needles are the biggest obstacle that many people need to overcome.
Those who’ve been treated discovered the acupuncture needle is NOTHING LIKE the injection needles most people fear. Hair-like thin and flexible, even the tip is rounded. It’s just sharp enough that, with the right amount of pressure applied by the practitioner, it can penetrate the skin surface and tap the Qi energy flow at the acupuncture point.
A session begins with a conversation … they why of a person’s visit. We discuss all the symptoms, the possible causes and any important emotions or life events attached to the pain or illness. Acupuncture is mind-body-spirit medicine. That doesn’t mean every conversation, particularly during the initial visit, needs to take more than 5 or 10 minutes.
We’ll draw up a treatment plan based on Traditional Chinese Medicine principles of energy flow and balance, including a set of acupuncture points that may change from visit to visit. Once the needles are in – usually a 10- to 15-minute process – the patient gets about 25 minutes of music-filled calm on the padded table, along with low light and a heat lamp on the feet. Many people fall asleep during the process!