Insurance Coverage for Acupuncture is on the Rise

Employers across the country are recognizing that acupuncture and oriental medicine is a cheaper alternative to drugs and surgery.  Additionally, those who have tried acupuncture are demanding that it be covered by their health insurance.  According to a 2004 survey performed by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 47 percent of all employers surveyed offered acupuncture as a covered health benefit, up from 33 percent in 2002.  Fifty-two percent of the Point Of Service plans covered acupuncture; 47 percent of the PPO plans offered coverage; 44 percent of conventional plans included an acupuncture benefit; and 41 percent of HMO plans provided coverage.

The survey revealed that employer coverage for acupuncture increased 14 percent from 2002 to 2004, making it one of the fastest-growing CAM therapies to be included as a covered service for American workers with health benefits. 

If acupuncture didn't work, insurance companies wouldn't consider it as an alternative to conventional treatment.