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Almost everyone has medical insurance to cover their medical bills. But there are some alternative medicine treatments that are not insured by basic medical insurance.
Acupuncture and massages help to reduce back pain and provide great relief, but they are still considered alternative medicine. There are only some companies that insure complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
People get acupuncture and massages throughout the year and these bills need to be covered as well. However, not all insurance companies cover such alternative medical treatments, you need to pay for these services out of your own pocket. Even then, you can reduce the amount you pay for such treatments.
Insurance Coverage
Insurance companies may be reluctant to cover alternate treatments, but you should be able to convince them that it is highly required.
For example, to cure back pain, you may visit a chiropractor, acupuncture specialist, and even a masseuse. Make sure that for each of the visits you collect all bills and prescriptions, so you can submit them to the insurance company.They may not approve all of them, but you can hope for some expenses to be covered nonetheless.
Each insurance company has a fixed set of treatments they cover. However, there are some insurance companies that offer packages to cover a wide range of treatments.
You can also convince the company that this treatment will reduce the chances of further medical treatment. You may pay for acupuncture and back massages, which may reduce the risks of chronic back pain and surgery.
Get the Bill
Not all alternative treatments have a detailed prescription. However, you can ask for a detailed receipt or bill to submit to the insurance company when you pay out of your own pocket.
Submitting the bill increases the chances of reimbursement. If the bill has ICD and CPT codes then the insurance company will validate your treatment.
International Classification of Diseases or ICD codes are an international standard code for medical treatments and Current Procedural Terminology or CPT codes recognize alternative medical treatments such as acupuncture, therapeutic massage. CPT codes are five-digit codes put down by the American Medical Association (AMA) to help medical specialists and insurers to validate treatments.
In the bill, you can also ask the medical specialist to specify the treatment plan and specified time period for the treatment.
With the bill, you can submit various documents or medical notes from the CAM specialists explaining how this treatment benefits you.
Limiting expenses
If your medical insurance does not cover such treatments, it is ideal to discuss your financial limitations with your medical specialist. That way, you can negotiate a fee with them and discuss a fee structure.
Discount Treatments
You can also opt for discount treatments provided by medical colleges or local clinics. Medical colleges offer treatments by interns or their own students at a nominal rate.
There are various community clinics set up for the lower sections of the economy. Some massage centers offer discounts on their services from time to time. You can also look for acupuncture center discounts or try community acupuncture centers.
If you require alternative medical treatments, you need to find medical insurance to cover the expenses, else you might have to pay out of your pockets.
