Insurance Guides
Does Insurance Cover Acupuncture?
Often, yes, but it depends on your plan. Many Washington health plans include some acupuncture benefit, usually with a yearly visit limit and a copay or coinsurance. Check your own plan before you book, or let our front desk verify it for you.
The Short Answer
Acupuncture is covered by many health plans, but not all of them, and coverage usually comes with limits: a set number of visits per year, your deductible, and a copay or coinsurance. Some plans only cover it for certain conditions, such as pain. Medicare generally does not cover acupuncture at our clinic. The answer that matters is your specific plan.
That is the honest version. Below is how acupuncture coverage usually works, what to ask your insurer, and how it plays out with the plans we see most at our Seattle acupuncture practice.
Washington State
Does Health Insurance Cover Acupuncture in Washington?
Washington is friendlier to acupuncture coverage than many states. State law generally requires state-regulated health plans to let every category of licensed provider deliver the services the plan covers, and that includes East Asian medicine practitioners (EAMPs), Washington's license for acupuncturists. That is one reason many Washington plans include some acupuncture benefit.
Two important limits. First, that rule does not reach every plan. Many large employers use self-funded plans that follow federal rules instead of state insurance rules, so their benefits can look quite different. Second, even when acupuncture is included, the plan still decides the visit limit, the cost sharing, and what counts as a covered condition.
So treat "Washington plans often cover acupuncture" as a reason to check, not a guarantee.
The Fine Print
What Do Acupuncture Benefits Usually Look Like?
A yearly visit limit
Many plans cap acupuncture at a set number of visits per calendar year. Some share that cap with chiropractic or massage.
Deductible and cost sharing
You may pay the full allowed amount until your deductible is met, then a copay or a percentage (coinsurance) per visit.
Condition requirements
Some plans cover acupuncture only for specific diagnoses, most commonly pain conditions, and may ask for documentation of medical necessity.
Networks and third-party administrators
Some plans run acupuncture benefits through a separate network such as American Specialty Health (ASH). That can change who is in network and whether preauthorization is needed.
In network vs out of network
Out-of-network coverage, if your plan has it at all, usually costs you more per visit.
Step by Step
How Do I Check If My Insurance Covers Acupuncture?
Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card, or log in to your insurer's member portal and look for acupuncture under your benefits. Then ask these questions and write down the answers, plus the date and a call reference number:
- 1Does my plan include acupuncture benefits, and for which conditions?
- 2How many acupuncture visits are covered per calendar year?
- 3Does my deductible apply first, and what is my copay or coinsurance per visit?
- 4Do I need a referral or preauthorization before the first visit?
- 5Are acupuncture benefits managed by a separate network, such as American Specialty Health (ASH)?
- 6Is the acupuncturist I want to see in network?
Prefer not to spend twenty minutes on hold? Call us at (206) 523-9000 and we can help verify your benefits before your first visit.
Plan by Plan
Does Premera, Regence, or Aetna Cover Acupuncture?
Here is how acupuncture coverage typically works with the insurers we accept. Benefits differ from plan to plan within the same insurer, so use this as a starting point and verify your own plan.
Premera Blue Cross
We accept Premera, and many Premera plans may cover acupuncture where the plan allows. Visit limits vary by plan.
Regence BlueShield (including UW plans)
We accept Regence, including the UW Regence plans many University of Washington and UW Medicine employees carry. Acupuncture may be covered where your plan allows.
Aetna
Some Aetna plans may cover acupuncture as part of a documented treatment plan. Copays, deductibles, and visit limits vary.
Cigna
Acupuncture may be covered under some Cigna plans. Benefits vary widely between Cigna plans, so verification matters.
Kaiser Permanente
Some Kaiser plans manage acupuncture benefits through networks such as American Specialty Health (ASH), which we also accept.
United Healthcare
Acupuncture may be covered where your plan allows. United plans differ in visit limits and referral requirements.
Medicare
At our clinic, Medicare generally does not cover acupuncture. See the Medicare question below for why.
Full details for each insurer are on our insurance and payment page. We also accept First Choice Health and American Specialty Health (ASH).
If the Answer Is No
What If My Plan Does Not Cover Acupuncture?
You still have options. HSA and FSA funds can generally be used for acupuncture, since the IRS lists it as an eligible medical expense. And self-pay is straightforward at our clinic: the new patient acupuncture visit, including a full intake and your first treatment, is $210.
If you are weighing acupuncture against other options, chiropractic and massage benefits are often structured differently from acupuncture benefits. Our guides to whether chiropractors take insurance and whether insurance covers massage therapy walk through those.
At MindBody Med Seattle
We Verify Your Acupuncture Benefits Before You Book
Our acupuncturists, John "Wan" Nguyen, EAMP, and Dr. Julie Booker, see patients at our Ravenna clinic on NE 65th Street, with free on-site parking. Call with your insurance card and we can help confirm what your plan covers, so the first bill is not a surprise. If your plan does not cover acupuncture, we will tell you the self-pay cost up front.
Learn more about acupuncture at MindBody Med or meet our acupuncturists.
Acupuncture Insurance: Common Questions
Does insurance cover acupuncture?
Often, but not always. Many health plans, including many Washington plans, include some acupuncture benefit, usually with a yearly visit limit, a copay or coinsurance, and your deductible. Some plans limit coverage to certain conditions such as pain. The only reliable answer is your own plan's benefits, which our front desk can check for you before your first visit.
How many acupuncture visits does insurance cover?
It depends on the plan. Many plans set an annual limit on acupuncture visits, and some share that limit with other services. Ask your insurer for the exact number, and ask whether visits used at another clinic earlier in the year count against it.
Does Medicare cover acupuncture?
Only in narrow cases. Medicare Part B covers acupuncture for chronic low back pain under specific conditions, and its rules limit which providers can bill for it. At our clinic, Medicare generally does not cover acupuncture. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, its benefits may differ, so check with the plan directly.
Can I use my HSA or FSA for acupuncture?
Generally yes. The IRS lists acupuncture as an eligible medical expense, so HSA and FSA funds can usually be used for it. Your plan administrator has the final say on documentation, so confirm with them if you are unsure.
What does acupuncture cost without insurance at MindBody Med?
Our new patient acupuncture visit, which includes a full intake and your first treatment, is $210 at the self-pay rate. Call (206) 523-9000 for current follow-up pricing.
Will you check my acupuncture benefits for me?
Yes. Call (206) 523-9000 with your insurance card handy and we can help verify your acupuncture benefits before you book, so you know what to expect.
This article is general information, not insurance, legal, or medical advice. Coverage rules change and every plan is different, so always confirm your own benefits with your insurer or plan administrator. We are happy to help verify your benefits before your visit.