Do we take insurance?
Yes, we take insurance if Acupuncture is covered under the patient's plan. We our in network with American Specialty Health which covers a variety of insurances including Kaiser, HealthNet, Aetna and other common HMO plans. We are also in the network with Blue Shield/Blue Cross. If you are not sure if your insurance is covered, feel free to call and ask us or call your insurance company and ask them if we are covered. Regarding Medicare; Medicare is supposed to cover 12 sessions of Acupuncture per year for chronic lower back pain. However, Medicare wants the person preforming Acupuncture to be a MD, PT, or RN or other approved practitioner. Though Dr. Brandi is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, she is not an MD, PT, or RN, so Medicare will not let us join their network and thusly will not cover our services. Many patients have a Medicare Supplement such as Aetna, Anthem, or even Kaiser and those supplements will cover acupuncture. It is important for folks to understand the difference between eligible insurances, and that we would love to help all people without restrictions.
Often times, people come in with dual insurance coverage and assume that because they have no co-payment at their primary care office, they also will not have a co-payment for Acupuncture services. We will always verify insurance before we treat, and if the website we use for verification states there is a co-payment, we must charge a co-payment for services because 98% of the time they will charge us for that co-payment. We never want to discourage patients from seeking care through SoulStrong Wellness and do our best to be fair and equitable. We do not want to turn patients away, its just the nature of the insurance factor.
Does Acupuncture hurt?
Occasionally, Acupuncture can cause a mild pinching feeling locally at the insertion point. In most cases, Acupuncture is not painful and side effects are uncommon. Areas that are more bony such as ankles, feet and hands may be tender, but fleeting. It is common for people to ask if we have inserted the needles when they have several in already or to ask if we use a numbing agent on the needles because the sensation is unnoticeable.
Acupuncture can cause a small amount of bleeding local to the insertion site and a small dime sized bruise. Often, patients will say that they feel a dull aching at the insertion site, and that is normal. Its commonly said that they experience a bubbling sensation under the skin. These reactions are normal and should not be alarming. Every person is different and they may experience acupuncture in unique ways.