Health Insurance Coverage of Alternative
Medicine

Health insurance coverage of alternative medicine options is becoming more commonplace, as more people are seeking these types of treatments.

Alternative Therapies

Definition of Alternative Medicine

Loosely defined, "alternative medicine" is any form of treatment that does not fall within the confines of conventional medical care. It includes the following treatment options:

• Chiropractic
• Acupuncture
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Naturopathy
• Homeopathy
• Biofeedback
• Hypnosis
• Aromatherapy

For many insurers, care provided by a healthcare professional other than a licensed medical doctor, physical therapist, or psychologist, etc., falls under the umbrella of alternative medicine.

Complementary Medicine

When you are looking for health insurance coverage of alternative medicine, you may see the term complementary medicine used. This refers to treatments that are performed alongside traditional options. An example of complementary medicine is if your doctor prescribes medication to treat a certain condition, but also recommends that you see a chiropractor or massage therapist as well.

Health Insurance Coverage of Alternative Medicine: More Common Now

Health insurance providers are more willing to cover at least part of the cost of alternative treatments. It's not uncommon to find a health insurance policy that includes coverage for chiropractic, acupuncture, or massage therapy treatments.

Other types of alternative therapies that are being increasing covered by insurers are:

• Meditation
• Homeopathy
• Herbology
• Stress management

Over time, more forms of alternative medicine therapies will be added to the list of services covered. The worlds of conventional and alternative medical therapies are coming closer together and insurers will likely start covering more services over time.

Your Health Insurance Policy and Alternative Medicine

Review your health insurance policy carefully to see whether you have coverage for any type of alternative or complementary medical treatments. You may be covered for a certain percentage of the cost or for a specific number of treatments only.

Pay particular attention to whether you need to seek treatment from practitioners who are part of your provider network or if you can consult with the practitioner of your choice. You will also want to understand what your policy limits are and what kinds of exclusions the company has set where it will not cover your treatments.

Here's a list of questions to ask the insurance company:

• Which types of treatments are covered?
• How much of the cost of treatment is covered?
• Is there a limit on the cost/number of visits per calendar year?
• Is there a lifetime cap on the cost of alternative treatments?
• Do I need to get approval from the company before I can get my treatments covered?
• If I need to get approval, what is the procedure involved?
• Do the alternative treatments need to be considered medically necessary they will be covered?

Keep Detailed Records

When you contact the insurance company to get your questions answered, be sure to keep detailed notes of your conversation. Make notes of the following information:

• The date and time of your conversation
• The name of the person you spoke with
• What you were told

It's a good strategy to repeat the information you are being given back to the company representative to make sure you understand. Do this before you end the conversation.

If you are told that the company will not cover an alternative treatment and their answer differs from your understanding of your policy, then ask to speak to someone else. Again, make careful notes of the conversation, including the date of the conversation, the name of the person you were speaking with and their response to your question.

You have the right to appeal the decisions your health insurance company makes about the types of therapies it will or will not cover. Ask about the appeals procedure and be sure to keep copies of all your correspondence sent to and received from the company to increase your chances of being successful in getting your alternative medicine treatments covered.

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