Best Acupuncturists That Accept Medicare (2023)
If you are looking for acupuncturists that accept Medicare, you will need to get a referral from your doctor first. Medicare typically only covers acupuncture for chronic low back pain. If you have Medicare Advantage instead of an original Medicare plan, you may have more options when it comes to acupuncture therapy. If you have been approved for acupuncture, and you’re looking for an acupuncturist that accepts Medicare, you can search online or speak to an agent.
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UPDATED: Dec 16, 2022
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UPDATED: Dec 16, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Original Medicare usually only approves acupuncture for chronic low back pain
- Medicare Advantage may approve additional reasons for acupuncture visits, but your doctor must have your visits pre-approved, or you will have to pay out of pocket
- Medicare coverage for acupuncture is part of an effort to use alternative methods rather than medication to help with pain management
If you have an Original Medicare plan or a Medicare Advantage plan, you may wonder whether Medicare covers acupuncturists. Typically, Medicare only covers acupuncture to treat chronic low back pain.
In order to find acupuncturists and acupuncturist clinics that accept Medicare, you can speak to your primary doctor and get a referral. You can also research online to see which acupuncturists near you take Medicare.
Once you find acupuncture near you that takes Medicare, make sure your session with an acupuncturist is pre-approved by your Medicare plan to avoid paying what your health insurance does not cover.
If you are on a Medicare plan but considering a different plan or level of coverage, shop around online to find Medicare insurance rates that include acupuncture near you.
Start shopping for rates here. Use our free tool above today to find affordable Medicare insurance that covers acupuncture.
When will Medicare cover acupuncturists?
Medicare only covers acupuncture if you need it for chronic low back pain. Even with chronic low back pain. You must still have your acupuncture sessions pre-approved to avoid paying out of pocket.
In order to be approved for acupuncture, your doctor needs to prove that you need to see a specialist for your low back pain.
If Medicare does approve you to see an acupuncturist, the Medicare acupuncture fee schedule for 2021 typically allows you to get up to 12 visits with an acupuncturist in 90 days or less.
After the initial 12 sessions, Medicare may approve up to eight more sessions if your doctor notes that there has been an improvement in your low back pain.
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Is Medicare Advantage different when it comes to acupuncture?
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, it may cover more visits to an acupuncturist. Medicare Advantage may also broaden the scope of what’s covered under an acupuncturist’s care.
With your Medicare advantage plan, you may be able to see an acupuncturist for other condition as long as your doctor reaches out to your plan and your visits with an acupuncturist are pre-approved.
If you are approved to see an acupuncturist, you will still be responsible for all copays and deductibles associated with your Medicare plan.
You may consider changing your Medicare level of coverage or switching from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage. If this is the case, search for Medicare insurance quotes that include acupuncture and see how your current rates compare.
Why does Medicare only cover acupuncture for back pain?
Until fairly recently, Medicare did not cover acupuncture at all. However, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that Medicare plans will start to cover low back pain.
The main reason for this coverage is to support alternatives to pain management that do not include medication, specifically opioids.
While Medicare does not currently cover acupuncture for anything else — like neck or knee pain — there is a chance that things could change if offices start to see positive results with acupuncture therapy.
While not all Medicare insurance companies that cover acupuncture are the same, you will likely find that most follow the same methods and levels of coverage.
If you are searching for a new Medicare plan or a different level of coverage, be sure to use our free tool below to buy Medicare insurance that covers acupuncture.
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.