How You Can Afford Alternative Medicine Treatments

Limiting out-of-pocket expenses
If you have to pay your own way for all or part of your treatment, you should explain your circumstances to the CAM practitioner. “It is always beneficial if the patient discusses the financial issues with the practitioner prior to the first appointment,” says Janet Borges, a licensed acupuncturist and spokesperson for the American Association of Acupuncture Oriental Medicine. “Often they will negotiate a fee for service that may be even more beneficial for both parties than insurance coverage, such as a sliding-scale fee structure.”

You may also be able to save on CAM treatments by using pretax money from a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending arrangement (FSA). If you have a high deductible health plan ($1,100 or more), sometimes known as a “catastrophic” insurance plan, you are probably eligible to open a tax-free health savings account (HSA). As with an IRA, contributions to HSAs are tax-deductible and the money is tax-exempt upon withdrawal if used for a qualified health expense. Offered by many employers, FSAs allow you to set aside an annual amount of pretax dollars for health care that must be used by year's end. Depending on your tax bracket, the tax savings from these vehicles can add up to a substantial discount on treatments. Eligible expenses may include therapeutic massage, acupuncture, and more (check your plan’s language for details). Even travel expenses—such as bus, taxi, and train fare—that are used primarily to get to essential medical care are eligible.

Discount treatments
If all else fails, you may be able to find affordable treatment in your area. Alternative medicine colleges often offer treatment from students or interns at reduced rates. The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, for example, has clinics in Chicago, New York, and San Diego, where you can receive acupuncture treatment or herbal medicine consultations for a fee ranging from $10 to $60. Similarly, the National College for Natural Medicine in Portland, Ore., which offers graduate professional degrees in naturopathic medicine, oriental medicine, and acupuncture, has 11 community clinics offering free or low-cost medical care by naturopathic physicians in and around the Portland area.

For affordable acupuncture, try what is known as a community acupuncture center, where treatments are usually offered on a sliding scale ranging from $15 to $40. Patients often receive treatment while sitting in recliners in a shared room. “The community acupuncture model is an option offered primarily to low-income or underserved populations,” says Borges.