By +Emperor’sCollege
Since (most likely) you don’t live under a rock, you’ve probably heard that there are some major changes going on in the world of healthcare and insurance. What you may not be so clear on is exactly how Obamacare affects acupuncture. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), more colloquially known as “Obamacare,” is certainly changing the game; as of January 2014, complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs), such as acupuncture, are now considered “Essential Health Benefits” in the state of California. Major win? No doubt about it; insurance plans are mandated to cover acupuncture treatments. But this legislative change doesn’t just signify acupuncture’s growing acceptance, it also indicates a more complex structure.
A Detailed Explanation
On August 28, 2013, Marilyn Allen, editor for Acupuncture Today, director of marketing at the American Acupuncture Council and faculty at Emperor’s College spoke to students and alumni about the PPACA and how Obamacare affects acupuncture practitioners and their patients. Here’s the video recap and handout so you can follow along.
Watch this for the specifics of how Obamacare affects acupuncture
How Obamacare Affects Acupuncture Patients
This healthcare shift validates something we in the field have known for years: Oriental medicine is an indispensable addition to our medical care options. For one, acupuncture and herbal medicine are not loaded with the side effects we’ve sadly accepted as par for the medical course, and, maybe even better, Oriental medicine is built upon the premise of addressing disease at its root cause.
Obamacare makes all of this more accessible and affordable for you. And we know that’s a good thing. If you feel it’s time to let acupuncture help you achieve your health goals, you can find an acupuncturist in Santa Monica, CA here or one in your neck of the woods here.
