When most people think about what acupuncture can treat, pain would probably be at the top of their lists. However, acupuncture helps people with many other conditions. Acupuncture is recognized by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to be effective in the treatment of a wide variety of medical problems. For general information, below are some of the health concerns that acupuncture can effectively treat:

Today, acupuncturists undertake three to four years of extensive and comprehensive graduate training at nationally certified schools. All acupuncturists must pass a national exam for board certification through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)^® and meet strict guidelines to practice in every state.

When practiced by a qualified acupuncturist, acupuncture is extremely safe and most adverse events are minor. It is an all-natural, drug-free therapy, generally yielding no side effects just feelings of relaxation and well-being.

Following Clean Needle Technique protocols on handling and inserting needles properly further improves the safety of acupuncture. There is little danger of infection from acupuncture needles because they are sterile, used once, and then discarded. In this practice, only disposable needles sterilized by the manufacturer are used.

You might be interested to know about two very large German studies of acupuncture safety.* The studies reviewed approximately 2 million treatments and found that less than 9% of patients reported any adverse event and the most commonly reported events were bleeding or bruising at the area where the needle was inserted. Other adverse events associated with acupuncture included temporary discomfort at the site of needle insertion and even less common, feeling faint or experiencing fatigue.

Before your appointment:

• Write down and bring any questions you have. We are here to help you.
• If you are a new patient, we will send you a link to download the paperwork to fill out ahead of time.
• In the 2-3 hours before your appointment:
  • Try to be relaxed for your appointment as best as you can — avoid rushing, stressful situations, overexertion, etc.
  • Do not eat large meals just before your visit, but also don’t skip meals.
  • Stay hydrated.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing for easy access to acupuncture points. Some patients bring shorts, sweat pants, tank tops, etc. to change into for the treatment.

After your treatment:

• Refrain from overexertion, strenuous activities, working out, drugs or alcohol for up to six hours after the visit.
• You can still take your prescribed medications for any health conditions you have. Follow your provider’s dosing schedule for your medication.
• Avoid stressful situations. Make time to relax, and be sure to get plenty of rest.
• Do not eat large meals just after your visit.
• Stay hydrated — you don’t need to drink a lot of extra water after a treatment, but making sure you stay properly hydrated is always good for your health.

Between visits, take notes of any changes that may have occurred, such as the alleviation of pain, pain moving to other areas, or changes in the frequency and type of problems. Also make note of any changes you notice with other health conditions, bodily functions, and mood.

Insurance coverage for acupuncture varies from state to state and plan to plan. Some plans may have limited acupuncture coverage others no coverage at all. Contact your insurance provider to learn whether acupuncture is covered. Here are a few questions to ask:

• Will my plan cover acupuncture for my health problem? (some plans are very limited on the conditions they will cover)
• How many visits per calendar year? (The will tell you a maximum upper limit. Word of caution — that does not necessarily mean the  company will pay for that many visits.)
• Do I need a referral from a physician?
• May I choose my own acupuncturist or is there a provider list I have to choose from?
• Do I have a co-pay or co-insurance?
• Do I have a deductible? If yes, has it been met?

Regarding particular insurance carriers:

VA Community Care: Currently we are a Community Care Provider for the Lexington VAMC. For more information check out the information on our Acupuncture for Veterans page.

United Healthcare: Because we are credentialed with United/Optum through the Community Care Program with the VA, we are recognized by United. Your plan will determine whether our office is considered in-network.

Humana: We are not credentialed with Humana and are considered an out-of-network provider at this time. Payment in full will be due at the time of services.

Cigna: Unfortunately, we terminated our contract with American Specialty Health (ASH), which manages Cigna acupuncture claims, on April 12, 2022. We are no longer a network provider and payment in full will be due at the time of services.

Anthem/BCBS: Unfortunately,since plans are managed by American Specialty Health (ASH), we cannot accept Anthem/BCBS. Our contract with ASH ended on April 12, 2022. We are no longer a network provider and payment in full will be due at the time of services. Some plans do cover acupuncture, but they generally cover a very limited set of conditions.

Medicare: The only condition currently covered by Medicare is low back pain. No other health conditions are covered at this time. There is a bill with bipartisan co-sponsorship by California Representative Judy Chu and Pennsylvania Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (HR4803: Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act of 2023) that seeks to expand coverage for acupuncture. We encourage you to contact your congressional representatives and senators to encourage them to support the bill.

Medicaid: Unfortunately, Medicaid does not cover acupuncture at this time. Once the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services recognizes acupuncturists as providers (see Medicare bill mentioned above), this may change. Like those with Medicare coverage, we encourage you to contact you congressional representatives and senators to encourage them to expand coverage to include acupuncture.

If you would like to know if your insurance will cover acupuncture treatments, we can check with the company using the information on the front and back of your insurance card. We can provide a statement (Superbill) with the relevant information for submitting to your insurance company so that you may be reimbursed if your plan does cover acupuncture. Each plan is different, so check with your insurance company first to find out whether your plan covers acupuncture.