Insurance and Cash Rates
Insurance
I am a preferred provider with the following insurance companies:
• Regence
• Blue Cross / Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Aetna
• Premera
• Lifewise
• Providence
• TriWest
• Coordinated Care
• Ambetter
• HMSA
• Health Net
• Harrington
• Optima (Note: this is NOT Optum through United)
• Priority Health
• Teamsters
• MVP
• Ventura County
Please be sure to check your specific insurance plan to see if acupuncture is a covered benefit.
Cash Pay Patients
$150 - First office visit - 90-120 minutes.
Includes evaluation, treatment, holistic health plan, and herbal formula recommendation if applicable.
In preparation for your first visit:
• Wear loose clothing that allows access to your lower legs and arms.
• Be sure to have a small snack before coming in for treatment.
• Allow up to 2 hours so I have ample time to properly assess your needs and structure a treatment plan accordingly.
If you have diagnostic tests and reports from other practitioners/specialists that are relevant to your current health concerns, please bring copies so I am able to provide the best care possible.
$90 - Follow-up office visits - 45-75 minutes.
May include other modalities depending on the chief complaint:
• Cupping
• Gua sha (spoon massage, scraping)
• Electroacupuncture
• Tui na (bodywork)
• Cold Laser therapy
• Acupuncture point injections
• Craniosacral therapy
• Acupuncture point stimulation with tuning forks
$50 - Cupping or Gua Sha only - 30 minutes*
*Treatments without needles are not covered by insurance, so manual therapy only is available for a cash price
Cash Pay Packages
Available for follow-up office visits:
$486 - 6 Cash Pay Visits at 10% Discount
Original price: $540
Discount price: $486
Amount saved: $54
Cost per visit: $81
$918 - 12 Cash Pay Visits at 15% Discount
Original price: $1080
Discount price: $918
Amount saved: $162
Cost per visit: $76.50
Senior Discount
Available for patients age 65 and over:
$120 - First office visit
$60 - Follow-up office visit
Acupuncture Point Injection Therapy
$35 - Cash pay for homeopathic herb injection.
$42 - Two homeopathic herbs.
$20 - B12 injection (energy support).
$20 - B6 injection (anti-nausea).
$45 - MICC injection (methionine, inositol, choline, cyanocobalamin - weight loss).
Please note: If the cost of treatment is prohibiting you from seeking the care that you need, please get in touch with Lily or Jamie to let us know what you would be able to pay and we will do our best to accommodate you. We care that you are taken care of!
Attention:
I will no longer be able to accept Cigna/American Specialty Health, United Healthcare, or Medicare/Medicaid starting May 31st, 2023. If you are a current patient with one of these insurances, you’re welcome to continue care billed through insurance up until then. After that, please refer to my cash pay rates below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture theory is based on the flow of “Qi” (most often translated as the body’s vital energy) through twelve meridians, or channels. Each channel corresponds to a different internal organ, such as the liver, heart, stomach, or spleen , and connects in a network that runs through the body, cycling from one channel to the next. Acupuncture heals the body by stimulating specific points on these channels that can impact biochemical and physiological conditions in the body as well as stimulate sensory receptors. These sensory receptors then signal nerves to transmit impulses to the hypothalamic-pituitary system in the brain where neurotransmitters and endorphins are released, easing pain, promoting healing and improving immune function. In this way acupuncture is able to address specific health concerns, and strengthen your overall health and well-being.
What should I expect at my appointments?
First office visit (1.5-2 hours long) - At the first appointment, we will spend 30-45 minutes discussing your health history, then we will evaluate your health through physical examination (tongue, pulse, skin, etc.). Treatment will follow, which will include acupuncture, cupping, tui na (Chinese massage), etc. depending on your needs. We will discuss lifestyle adjustments you can make to maximize your results, and develop a treatment plan. In return office visits (~1 hour long), 10-15 minutes will be spent evaluating your current health condition, followed by treatment and health maintenance discussion.
What can acupuncture treat?
Patients see results for nearly any ailment. Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, has a several thousand year history, and the treatment principles and herbal formulas continue to be useful in modern times. Commonly, people seek acupuncture to treat pain and injuries, insomnia, anxiety, depression, stress, fertility, and numerous other ailments.
What is acupuncture point injection therapy?
I am one of the few local acupuncturists who is certified to do acupuncture point injection therapy (aquapuncture). It is the injection at an acupuncture point of a small amount of a vitamin, saline, or plant extract and is a recent innovation of traditional acupuncture and aims to enhance and prolong the effect of stimulation of acupuncture points. Currently I inject German homeopathic remedy solutions by the brands Hevert and Heel. The most popular injections are Traumeel (famous for reducing inflammation and promoting tissue nourishment), and CalmValera (a formula containing Valerian, a natural sleep aid, which also aids anxiety and depression).
Does acupuncture hurt?
Usually for just a split second if at all. Many factors affect the sensations a patient might experience with acupuncture. Some areas (feet, hands, etc.) can be more sensitive than other areas, and some people are more sensitive to pain. I am attentive to your needs and will gladly help you through any apprehension or fear you have. I have several patients who are afraid of needles, but after they see the benefits, they look forward to their acupuncture treatments. Do be advised, you will feel more needle-sensitive if you have caffeine before treatment.