Acupuncture Services
Overview | Highlights & Details | FAQs | Fees
Highlights & Details:
details coming soon.
FAQs:
Q: What is Acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is a method to promote natural healing by inserting needles and applying heat or gentle electrical stimulation at very precise points on the body.
Q: How does Acupuncture work?
A: The Classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. Disturbances in this energy flow can cause illness and pain. Acupuncture can strengthen and redirect this energy flow. Western scientific explanation is that inserting acupuncture needles into the body creates a cascade of chemical signals within the body that can redirect how the muscles, nerves and brain function.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: People experience acupuncture needling differently. Most people feel only minimal pain with needle insertion and no pain once the needles are in place. Often acupuncture treatment is associated with a pleasant, relaxing sensation. Thought to be from the release of endorphins, a chemical signal from within the body’s nervous system.
Q: Are there any side effects?
A: Because the needles are sterile, very small and carefully placed it is vanishingly rare to sustain any injury or infection.
Q: How many treatment sessions will I need?
A: For most long standing problems, it often requires 4-6 sessions to initiate benefit. Urgent problems many improve sooner. Again, treatment duration depends on the complexity of the problem and other forms of healing being done in conjunction with the acupuncture.
Q: Is acupuncture covered by my insurance?
A: Unfortunately, most insurance providers including Medicare, do not cover acupuncture.
Q: What is Medical Acupuncture?
A: Medical Acupuncture refers to acupuncture practiced by a Western Medical doctor who can combine treatments from the East and West.
Q: Do I have to “believe in it” in order to work?
A: No, acupuncture is used successfully on cats, dogs and other animals. Belief is not required.
Fees:
Effective March 14, 2008
Initial Acupuncture Package: $900
Includes the following:
- Initial session with history, physical exam and first acupuncture session. ($450 value)
- 3 additional weekly acupuncture sessions ($150 each)
May be cancelled with full refund of unused portion
Follow up acupuncture treatment sessions (approximately 1 hour): $150
For patients who are participants in the Executive Care or Concierge Care programs, the initial session is free and each follow up acupuncture treatment session is $90.
Medical Acupuncture requires time for both comprehensive diagnosis and therapy to occur during the visit. Therefore, each acupuncture session is more expensive than an Internal Medicine visit. The initial encounter lasts 90-120 minutes and includes a complete history and physical examination in addition to an initial acupuncture treatment. Unfortunately, most health insurance carriers do not provide coverage for acupuncture or do not provide adequate reimbursement for acupuncture. Therefore, the financial responsibility of payment for acupuncture rests with the patient. Payment for acupuncture will be required at the time of service. We accept cash, checks and major credit cards. Patients will receive a billing form that they can submit to their insurance for re-imbursement.
Each acupuncture session lasts 30-60 minutes. Therefore, a missed appointment results in a large amount of time that cannot be used to treat other patients. We will require a $150 payment for missed appointments that are not cancelled with at least 24 hours notice.