Does Medicare Advantage cover acupuncture or alternative therapies in some plans?
Answered by 33 licensed agents
Yes Some Medicare Advantage plans may cover Acupuncture. Always check your Summary of Benefits. The Acupuncture benefit could be covered for chronic low back pain only. Not all providers could be included.
also See page 30 in your Medicare and You Handbook 2025
Depending on the plan, if it's an HMO or PPO, many PPO plans DO cover acupuncture. not many cover alternative options, this is why you need to look at each plan carefully
Yes, some Medicare Advantage plans cover acupuncture and in order to find out if alternate therapies are covered, this too is plan dependent. Here in Wisconsin, an independent agent like myself has access to Medicare plans from UHC, Humana, Aetna, Network Health, Quartz Health Plans, Molina and Wellcare so it's always wise to check with an experienced, Medicare agent to learn about specific plan benefits.
The short answer is yes, some MAPD plans do cover acupuncture and chiropractor services. It is especially important to check to see what criteria are needed to get these benefits. These plans vary from state-to-state county to county and even zip code to zip code. A lot of area do not cover this, so be sure before you enroll.
Sometimes. It depends on your plan. Medicare Advantage plans can cover acupuncture and other alternative therapies. Medicare Advantage offer additional benefits, such as coverage for acupuncture and other complementary therapies.
Medicare covers up to 12 treatments for accupunture for " low back pain that has lasted 12 weeks or longer) it is covered only in this situation.
A Medicare Advantage plan has to offer at least what Medicare offers and can offer extra coverage.
So while all Medicare advantage plans have to offers "accupunture" in this situation it is up to the plan whether they offer additional coverage outside of the Original Medicare Benefit.
Yes some do! There are plans depending on where you live that may offer alternative therapies such as chiropractic and acupuncture. It is important to keep in mind that you can only use alternative providers that have a contract with the insurance company of your plan.
Yes, some Medicare Advantage plans may offer coverage for acupuncture and other alternative therapies beyond what is typically covered by Original Medicare. Original Medicare covers acupuncture specifically for chronic lower back pain. While all Medicare Advantage plans must cover the same services as Original Medicare, they can choose to offer additional benefits, including expanded acupuncture coverage.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Original Medicare Coverage:
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) covers acupuncture only for chronic lower back pain.
Medicare Advantage Plans:
Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) are an alternative to Original Medicare provided by private insurance companies.
Expanded Coverage:
Some Medicare Advantage plans offer additional benefits, including acupuncture for conditions beyond chronic lower back pain, or other alternative therapies like massage or biofeedback.
Plan Specifics:
The extent of acupuncture and alternative therapy coverage can vary significantly from plan to plan.
Verification:
You should always check with your specific Medicare Advantage plan provider to determine what is and isn't covered.
In-network Providers:
Many Medicare Advantage plans may require you to use in-network providers and may have referral requirements.
Yes, there are some plans that cover Accupuncture and alternative therapies. If you are curious about whether or not a plan covers those benefits you can look in the plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Yes check with your carrier to get more details but yes healthways is one provider that I know of that works with Medicare Advantage plans to include massage.
Yes, some Medicare Advantage plans do cover acupuncture and some other alternative care therapies such as routine chiropractic care. You should review your Evidence of Coverage document to see if such things are covered on your plan. Everything that the plan covers is documented in the Evidence of Coverage.
This will depend upon the State you live in. There are some companies who have picked up acupuncture over the years while others did not. You will have to check by calling your state department of insurance to determine that. Moreover, naturalpaths are not covered by Medicare so if you enjoy using natural substances, until legislation is ever passed, those costs for the supplements/vitamins you take will not be paid for.
Yes, some Medicare Advantage plans cover acupuncture and naturopaths. Please call your local agent who has access to all the plans available in your area.
Yes, actually—some Medicare Advantage plans do offer coverage for acupuncture and even other alternative therapies. It really depends on the specific plan, but it’s definitely something worth looking into.
Yes, some Medicare Advantage plans may cover acupuncture and other alternative therapies, but it's not a universal benefit. While original Medicare (Part B) covers acupuncture for chronic low back pain, some Medicare Advantage plans offer broader coverage, including for other pain conditions or other alternative therapies.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Original Medicare (Part B):
Covers acupuncture for chronic lower back pain.
Medicare Advantage (Part C):
Must provide the same coverage as original Medicare, but can also offer additional benefits, including broader acupuncture coverage.
Expanded Coverage in Some MA Plans:
Some Medicare Advantage plans may cover acupuncture for other pain conditions, such as nausea or general chronic pain, beyond what's covered by original Medicare.
Alternative Therapies:
Some Medicare Advantage plans may offer coverage for other alternative therapies like chiropractic care, massage therapy, or biofeedback, depending on the specific plan.
Check Your Plan:
It's crucial to review your specific Medicare Advantage plan's details or contact the plan provider to determine what acupuncture and alternative therapy coverage is available.
Extra Costs:
While some Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits, you may still have to pay a deductible, copayment, or coinsurance for covered acupuncture or alternative therapy services.
Network Requirements:
Some plans may require you to use in-network providers and/or may need referrals or preauthorization from a medical doctor.
Yes, some Medicare Advantage plans may cover acupuncture and other alternative therapies, Original Medicare covers acupuncture for chronic low back pain, Medicare Advantage plans can offer broader coverage for acupuncture and other alternative therapies, including massage therapy, chiropractic care, and biofeedback,
Yes, Medicare (Part B) medical insurance covers acupuncture for certain chronic low back pain.
You can check with your primary care physician about acupuncture treatments and alternative therapies offered by your particular plan. Also, depending on your plan, you may need a referral from your PCP to see a specialist for treatment.
This information is also available in your plan’s Evidence Of Coverage (EOC).
You may also call the member service number on the back of your member ID card with questions about your plan’s coverage for chronic low back pain.
Yes, Medicare Advantage plans will cover acupuncture like original Medicare and can offer alternative therapies. make sure you review your plans benefits.
Medicare for many years did not allow for Acupuncture to be covered, but I now believe that many of the Medicare Advantage Plans may be covering acupuncture, but you MUST confirm with the advantage plan you wish to enroll in before you actually enroll.
Yes some Medicare Advantage Plans do offer acupuncture, chiropractic and other alternative therapies. Contact me if you would like to know more about specific plans that may be in your area.
Part B of Medicare will cover some Acupunture if you have Chronic Lower back pain as diagnosed by a Doctor.
There are other limitations too, so check with An Agent or your Provider so you know your treatments will be covered! Most plans limit even those visits to 12 times a year or monthly treatments! Also expect to pay some coinsurance percentage and also some dollar copayments as well!
There are some plans that do allow for coverage with acupuncture and alternative therapies. Most of the carriers that allow that will have it as a specific dollar amount of coverage that you have to pay for the service and then get reimbursed. Most carriers that allow for this are smaller organizations who are trying to carve out a niche. It is important to review what carriers and plans are in your area to determine this availability.
Yes, a lot of Medicare Advantage plans cover therapies like acupuncture and some cover alternative therapies but not all. Speak to a licensed agent before making a choice.
Medicare Advantage does cover some some types of alternative therapies or acupuncture on certain plans. If there is a need, make sure when the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15th through December 7t, you look for plans that carry the specific benefits you are needing.
Every plan has a detailed outline of coverage called a Summary of Benefits ("SOB"), which may list that type of service. If you can't find that service in the SOB, then you would need to look in the Evidence of Coverage to see if that particular service is covered. That is the long answer, the short answer is that some plans do and some plans don't cover acupuncture or alternatives to it. Find a qualified independent broker in your area to help you find the specific answer to that question. I hope this was helpful. Good luck!