For Patients Under 65
Unlike conventional biomedicine, most acupuncture treatment in Iowa is not covered by your usual health insurance. This is due to the relative lack of data about how much acupuncture helps people at such a low cost and low risk level. We look forward to the time that acupuncture is recognized and rewarded as a legitimate part of the healthcare landscape in the US.
Please phone the customer service number on the reverse of your insurance card to learn if acupuncture is reimbursable. We can advise you on what specific questions to ask them.
At the present time we do not accept payment by insurance companies for your care, except in the case of an auto injury or injured worker scenario. The time and expense of processing insurance claims is more than our tiny office can provide at this time. We will be happy to supply you with the exact forms to turn in to your insurance company to get reimbursed by them for what you spend at our office. Our system easily generates those documents. When you complete your first visit paperwork we will get your insurance numbers and our administrative person can phone your insurance to verify benefits.
For Patients Over 65
AARP Medicare Plans and Medicare Supplement Plans by United Healthcare do cover acupuncture, but you should telephone them to get exact coverage details. There are differences between policies, and things change every year so call before you schedule your visit here to know what you can expect. We will ask you to pay for your visit and we will provide you the forms to turn in for reimbursement.
Other third party Medicare plans such as those sold by Humana, Cigna, Aetna, and Health Alliance also provide acupuncture benefits in line with Medicare guidelines. Call the number on the back of your card for more information.
In the great state of Iowa, Blue Cross Medicare Supplements do not cover acupuncture. This is in line with the fact that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa never pays for acupuncture under any circumstances. Interestingly, our neighboring states like Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Minnesota DO have BCBS coverage for acupuncture…..go figure. Our Federal Blue Cross policies also cover acupuncture when Medicare does not. But there are over 40 Federal BCBS policies that are provided for people like mail carriers, VA hospital employees, and other employees of the federal government in our area.
Traditional Medicare from your government DOES cover acupuncture as of Jan 2021 for low back pain only. When you phone Medicare for information they will tell you that acupuncture is covered when done by an “approved provider”. But ONLY a Medical Doctor or other Medicare provider such as a nurse practitioner or chiropractor may be reimbursed by Medicare as an “approved provider”. Licensed Acupuncturists are not able to be paid by Medicare unless they are under the “supervision” of a Medicare provider like a medical doctor who will submit the bill for them. There is no “provider type” for acupuncturists under Medicare and they are not “approved providers” at this time (Jan 2022).
Acupuncturists in the United States are not a recognized ‘healthcare provider’ by the Medicare system. We are working diligently as a group to change this, but it will literally take an act of congress, your House of Representatives, and your US Senate, to pass a bill to make American Licensed Acupuncturists be able to be paid to do acupuncture FOR YOU using your Medicare benefits.
The GOOD NEWS for YOU! We can submit your Medicare claim on paper using a form 1490S and it will be certainly be denied and then it will be sent on to your supplemental insurance carrier. We are happy to do this for you. You will be reimbursed by your supplemental policy about 50-60 days after the claim is submitted at whatever rate they think is reasonable.
Call your US congressperson and Senator to get more information and demand that your licensed acupuncturist be allowed to treat you under Medicare. In Johnson County this is Marionette Miller Meeks.
For Veterans! 
Veterans can receive care from us when referred by a VA provider. We will be providing this care under the VA Care in the Community Health Plan. Request a referral from your provider at the VA.
Unfortunately Wellmark BC/BS of Iowa does not cover acupuncture at this time and if you have a BC/BS Medicare supplement, they will not reimburse you for your acupuncture expenses. Call them to check benefits if you have questions.
Other health insurance companies may pay for your care. They may include United Healthcare, Aetna, and Cigna, as well as Blue Cross policies from other states besides Iowa. Again, call the number on the back of your card for more info and we’ll give you the forms to turn in for reimbursement after each visit or we may turn them in for you.