# "Alternative medicine" and health insurance in the US.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-medicine-and-health-insurance-in-the-us/779937>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 15, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-medicine-and-health-insurance-in-the-us/779937 "2017-02-15T21:18:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-medicine-and-health-insurance-in-the-us/779937/1 "2017-02-15T21:18:27Z")

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A couple questions regarding this:

_1) How much a year do health insurance companies pay out for “alternative medicine” like acupuncture, chiropractic, or homepathic services?_\* (For example, Medicare neither pays nor reimburse for 2 of the three of thoses \<[cite 1](https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/acupuncture-non-coverage.html)\> \<[cite 2](https://www.caring.com/medicare_information/medicare-coverage-of-homeopathy)\> \<[cite 3](https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/chiropractic-services.html)\>  
Whereas UHC, the US’ largest private health care company, does cover [Chiropractic care,](https://www.unitedhealthcareonline.com/ccmcontent/ProviderII/UHC/en-US/Assets/ProviderStaticFiles/ProviderStaticFilesPdf/Tools%20and%20Resources/Policies%20and%20Protocols/UnitedHealthcare%20Medicare%20Coverage/Chiropractic_Services_UHCMA_CS.pdf) and while some sites say no, here’s one that says yes but is [“Limited to 12 visits per year”.](http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.aimsmddc.org/resource/resmgr/imported/Choice%20Plus%20HSA%207PD%20-0113.PDF) And here is [an acupuncturist who says:](http://www.acupunctureri.com/faq/)

> [@](#):
>
> Yes, I take Blue Cross (I am a Blue Cross Provider) if your plan covers it. Call the number on your card to see if your plan covers acupuncture.
> 
> or other insurance companies, I can help you to bill as an “out-of-network” provider, and none of my patients have had any problems getting reimbursed, provided their plan covers acupuncture.
> 
> Health insurance is slowly covering acupuncture more and more. Please encourage your company to add an acupuncture ryder to your plan. It is inexpensive for them to do so and your whole company will be so much healthier and happier

**2) Would eliminating these coverages significantly reduce health care premiums? (Let’s define significantly as anything over 10%).**

**3) Are there laws nationwide or state-based which require these insurers to cover “alternative medicine”?**

\*Using quotes to denote the specific term of “alternative medicine”, but I’ll also admit to my bias against the practices.

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternative-medicine-and-health-insurance-in-the-us/779937/2 "2017-02-15T21:40:35Z")

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I’ll tackle this one for now.

> [@stpauler](#):
>
> **2) Would eliminating these coverages significantly reduce health care premiums? (Let’s define significantly as anything over 10%).**

My impression is that on a national basis, coverage for alt med is currently limited enough that savings would not be that substantial.

Given that the eternal dream of [del]quacks[/del] alternative practitioners is to have their offerings covered by insurance/Medicare, the real concern is that coverage will be greatly _expanded_. In that event, not only chiropractic and acupuncture for limited conditions would be covered, but insurance would pay for therapeutic touch, naturopathy (including homeopathic drugs and similar woo), crystal healing, craniosacral manipulation and a gazillion other treatments. In that case, premiums likely would jump significantly.