How Much Does Acupuncture Cost?
By Chia Chia Cheng, L.Ac.
How much does acupuncture cost? It’s a commonly asked question. I did some research on fees near my area.
The cost of acupuncture varies based on the clinic and practitioner. For my area of south Portland–Tigard area with the zip code of 97223, the per visit fee runs between $85-$115 for an established patient. The fees for a new patient visit ranges between $115-$185.
A web search of acupuncture near my zip code 97223 results in several sites. Most websites don’t talk about how much treatment costs. This seems to be a standard practice. It’s similar to visiting a jewelry store and all the tags on the shiny pieces are flipped with the price down. “How is seeing the item code helpful?” you quietly wonder.
In general the trend on revealing the cost of acupuncture online is changing. More and more websites talk about the services and fees together. I’m considering a post for a package of services and the per session fee on my website. Would you like to know what you’re committing to before we start working together?
As a new patient, it’s important for you to know what the per visit fees cover. Whether you have insurance that covers acupuncture or are paying out of pocket (also known as self-pay). If you’re using insurance benefits you may be responsible for covering services that you policy doesn’t pay for. Common modalities acupuncturists offer during an office visit are:
- acupuncture
- infrared heat therapy
- Microcurrent/E-stim therapy
- cupping
- nutritional counseling
Most insurance policies which cover acupuncture will only do so for a condition that is related to pain and in certain areas of the body. Back pain, neck pain, elbow pain, leg pain, headache etc. if you have digestive issues and have stomach pain, guess what? Your insurance policy won’t cover acupuncture for this. Same goes for menstrual pain. To date NO insurance policy covers acupuncture for fertility treatment. However, many insurance policies cover fertility treatment done by a physician. Go figure.
Asking how much acupuncture costs is like asking a car salesman ”How much does a car cost?” There’s so much to consider in answering both questions. Knowing the services included in the per visit fee can help you plan your care and allow adjustments in your finances. This knowing may also help you determine who you will choose to be your acupuncturist. After all you would be more likely to go to a certain dealer if you knew how much the car you wanted will cost you. Given that it’s the year make and model you’re looking for.
“Why do some acupuncturists charge more for the same service?” you ask. Do you know that they’re all offering the same service(s)? Do the acupuncturists you’re considering have the same amount of training?
You need to take into account that not all acupuncture is the same. And not all acupuncturists are trained the same. Some of the reasons for a higher fee is due to their experience and area of specialty. Certifications and training in a particular treatment method tend to lead to higher practitioner fees. My acupuncturist is trained in NRT (Nutritional Response Testing), and thus, commands a higher fee.
Practitioners often charge more for their services because they have years of experience, extra training and are specialized in a certain method or condition. In my practice I specialize in the treatment of pain. I have been in practice for 20 years. I also specialize in combining body work with acupuncture. My per session fee of $110 for established patients includes the following services:
- Acupuncture
- Infrared heat therapy
- Microcurrent therapy
- LED light therapy
- Manual Therapy
- Massage Therapy
- Cupping
- Gua sha (scraping technique)
- Exercise education
- Nutritional counseling
In addition to my specialty of combining body work with acupuncture, I offer non pharma options for pain relief and injury recovery using natural medicine. I completed a one year training in functional medicine, specializing in the use of nutritional and herbal products for healing. I also perform nutritional assessment to address other holistic aspects of wellbeing like:
- Proper digestion
- Immune support
- Stress reduction
- Quality sleep
- Anxious or nervous state
- Blood sugar handling
- Hormonal balance
“How do I find an acupuncturist?” you ask. As a potential patient you get to decide who you want to see for acupuncture services. I encourage you to interview 2-3 acupuncturists before deciding on one. Call their office. Ask pertinent questions. See how they answer your questions. Here are other things to note before you make an informed decision:
- Were they rushed during the call?
- Did you have enough time to ask questions? Did you feel rushed by the person on the other end?
- Were you able to speak with the acupuncturist directly? Did you have good rapport with them?
- Did you make a connection with the person who took your call?
- Were they accommodating to get you scheduled?
I am told by new patients that they chose to work with me because I took the time to answer their questions. They also appreciated how it was easy to speak with me directly. They like my office location. I give them a treatment plan they can understand and follow.
Be sure you are familiar with the benefits your insurance policy includes before beginning treatment. There are limitations to most policies. Insurance companies limit what the practitioner can treat and for how long.
For example CHP and Kaiser do not pay for maintenance or preventative care. If you have either, you have to be in an active state of pain in order to use your insurance to cover for acupuncture. Blue Cross Blue Shield/Regence/Anthem policies only cover acupuncture and nothing else. If your practitioner uses heat or body work, they may ask you to pay for these modalities out of pocket.
If you don’t want to do self-pay for uncovered modalities, you can elect to stick to acupuncture. Which can be limiting to your healing process . For example the addition of heat therapy using a TDP lamp or a Celluma in my practice helps increase the benefit of acupuncture. (circulation, cellular recovery, etc. This is a topic that merits its own post!) If the policy doesn’t cover infrared heat therapy, and, my patient would benefit from it, I give it to them as a compped service.
Part of being an informed patient is to know the particulars of your insurance policy. By law the initial consultation is covered. There is no guarantee of payment, as the recording says. However, you can verify a few important details regarding your coverage. Knowing these will help you better plan for treatment.
- Did you meet your annual deductible?
- Do you have coverage for acupuncture? (Give the rep these two acupuncture codes. 97810 and 97813)
- Do you have coverage for other modalities such as massage 97124, manual therapy 97140, or heat therapy 97026?
- Is your acupuncturists in network? If not, do you have out of network benefits? What is your percentage of co-insurance in either scenario?
- Do you have a calendar year maximum benefit? (Either in a dollar amount or a maximum number of visits)
- Does your FSA cover for services and products that your insurance policy excludes? (e.g. herbs, supplements, cupping, massage, manual therapy)
- Does your plan require a preauthorization or a physician’s referral? If so, how long is either valid for?
Once you know how much each office visit costs, the next thing you need to know is the treatment plan. After all, only 3% of the population gets the relief they seek after just one treatment with acupuncture. (Those are the stories I like to tell at parties. )
Let’s do some arithmetic. A new patient session with me is $165. A follow-up session with me is $110 for self-pay. If you have a severe or chronic condition, and you scale your pain level at an 8 out of 10 (10 being you have pain all the time and you can’t function), here would be my initial treatment plan for you.
- 6-8 sessions, at a frequency of twice a week.
- Reassess after 6 sessions/three weeks. $705-$925.
- In my practice most patients experience a 50% or greater reduction in their pain after 5-6 sessions.
If you are in the moderate category, these would apply to you:
- Pain scaled at 4-6 out of 10
- Recommend weekly sessions for 4 consecutive weeks. $485
- Reassess after 4 weeks.
- If you continue to do well, decrease the frequency of office visits to 1 every two weeks for 3 sessions. $330
Lastly if you’re one of the genetically enhanced folks and have enjoyed good health, this fits your bill:
- Mild pain scaled at 1-3 out of 10
- Weekly sessions for 3 consecutive weeks, then reassess.
- Spread out office visits to occur once every 3 weeks for 6 sessions. (For maintenance)
- After the 3 maintenance sessions, I would speak to you regarding a preventive care schedule.
An increase in quality of life + a decrease in pain = priceless.
Your acupuncturist is like your hair stylist. Once you find someone that you work well with and gives you the results you want, you will be reluctant to hand over care to someone else. You wouldn’t go see a family medicine doctor for heart conditions. You consult a cardiologist. For skin concerns you see a dermatologist. For thyroid and diabetes, you consult an endocrinologist. The same idea applies to working with an acupuncturist.
How do I find an acupuncturist?
You could look up acupuncturist in your area. Kaiser/CHP and Regence patients look up 97223 in the provider directory because they live in the same zip code as my office.
You could ask around. Someone you know knows someone who knows an acupuncturist. You can use Acufinder.com. You could look up acupuncturists in your area by using the BME website (for Oregon residents). California residents can use Consumer Affairs. The national organization NCCAOM has an option on their site for locating practitioners.
Going for acupuncture can be like going to a new restaurant. You look at Yelp and Google Business reviews. You check out their menu. Ask people you know about their experience and feedback. You do your research and then go try it out.
If you have yet to add acupuncture as a healing modality to your regimen of self-care, you’re in for a treat. Acupuncture works well as a stand alone treatment. It also works well in conjunction with many other types of medicine. I believe you will benefit greatly from adding acupuncture to your self-care routine!
