Health Center

Alternative Therapies for Daily Health

When it comes to health insurance, it's difficult to know which specific alternative therapies will be covered. There are so many different plans and benefit packages, and guidelines differ from state to state.

The list below shows some of the most popular alternative therapies and their reimbursement records.

Acupuncture (an ancient Chinese medicine modality that treats disease by bringing energy patterns into balance by inserting thin needles into specific points on the skin). About one-third of PPOs (preferred provider organizations) and a quarter of HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) cover acupuncture. Medicare does not. The diagnosis most likely to get coverage is chronic pain.

Biofeedback (A training program that teaches you how to control physiological functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and muscle tension.) Medicare and other carriers may reimburse for biofeedback for a very limited number of conditions.

Chiropractic (A medical discipline that involves manipulation of the spine and other structures to relieve pain and other health problems.) This is the most integrated alternative therapy, and it is the one insurance providers most consistently reimburse for, given a specific diagnosis.

EDTA chelation therapy (Intravenous administration of a synthetic protein that attaches to and removes toxic heavy metals from the body.) Lead and other heavy metal poisoning is the only reimbursable diagnosis for chelation. Although this therapy is highly effective in improving circulation and reducing signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease, our patients have had little success getting reimbursed for these conditions.

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) (A noninvasive therapy that dramatically improves blood flow to the heart and throughout the body.) Medicare pays for EECP for the treatment of angina (chest pain) when accompanied by a referral from a cardiologist. It does not, however, pay for the use of EECP to treat other conditions for which it is extremely helpful, such as congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, Parkinson's disease, and hypertension. Other insurance companies may or may not pay for these other indications.

Human growth hormone (Injections of a hormone that dramatically declines with age to improve muscle mass, bone density, and other conditions.) We haven't had any luck with insurance reimbursement for this therapy.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (100 percent oxygen delivered under pressure to ensure delivery to oxygen-deprived tissues throughout the body.) Medicare and most other carriers cover HBOT for specific conditions. These include decompression sickness (the bends), skin grafts, bone infections, and poorly healing diabetic wounds. This therapy is also very beneficial for stroke and other brain injuries, and a few insurance companies will reimburse for this treatment.

Hypnotherapy (The use of hypnosis, primarily in psychotherapy.) Medicare and some other carriers provide limited coverage for hypnotherapy for specific psychological conditions.

IV therapies (Intravenous infusions of targeted vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.) We use many IV therapies at the clinic, and the larger PPOs have been pretty good about reimbursing, as long as we provide detailed descriptions of what is in them and we have appropriate diagnoses. Therapies that have recently been covered include vision IVs for macular degeneration, magnesium IVs for hypertension, immune IVs for nutritional support of cancer, and glutathione IVs for Parkinson's disease.

Laboratory tests (Blood and urine tests.) All insurance plans pay for routine blood and urine analysis. They'll even pay for "alternative" blood tests such as DHEA, homocysteine, and C-reactive protein. They usually do not reimburse for urine tests for heavy metals, blood tests for food allergies, or stool tests for intestinal permeability.

Massage (Rubbing and kneading the muscles to relieve pain and tension, promote relaxation, and enhance circulation.) Some companies provide partial reimbursement for massage, particularly if it is linked to a pain diagnosis.

Naturopathy (Discipline that involves treating disease and improving health with natural therapies such as diet, exercise, and nutritional supplements.) A limited number of insurance companies are beginning to reimburse for visits to naturopathic physicians.

Nutritional counseling (Consultation with a practitioner who advises patients on proper diet.) Nutritionist consultations are covered by many health plans, as long as the nutritionist is certified.

Nutritional supplements (Vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and other natural compounds taken orally to enhance health and treat disease.) Some small, private insurers may reimburse for nutritional supplements, but we've had no success with this for our patients at the clinic.

Physical therapy (Use of exercise and other modalities to improve physical performance and facilitate recovery from injury and illness.) Physical therapy is more or less a conventional therapy these days and most insurance plans cover it.

Prolotherapy (A treatment for musculoskeletal pain and injury that involves injections in the tendons and ligaments to strengthen and support these structures.) Although this therapy in many cases alleviates the need for surgery, only a few insurance companies reimburse for it. Medicare does not.

Psychotherapy (The treatment of psychological problems with counseling and other non-drug modalities.) Medicare and most other insurance plans pay for psychotherapy.

Reflexology (A therapy that involves stimulation of reflex points on the hands, feet, and ears that correspond to specific organs in the body.) I don't know of any insurance companies that reimburse for reflexology.

Screening and diagnostic tests (Tests that look for health problems or confirm diagnoses.) Medicare and most insurance companies will pay for mammography, Pap smears, colorectal cancer screens, and bone density tests. Screening tests which fall into the "alternative" realm, such as body composition analysis (to determine percentage of body fat) or arterial stiffness index (to measure the integrity of the blood vessels), are usually not covered.

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