The Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1993, moderates this column, with contributions from various authors. Its mission is “to advance patient by promoting scientific evaluation into acupuncture and allied therapies, as well as dissemination and implementation of these findings.” Other stated objectives include identifying the mechanisms underlying clinical effects; informing knowledge gaps and future research directions; and supporting the next generation of researchers, academic clinicians and educators. Learn more at https://www.acupunctureresearch.org.
When we talk about fertility, the focus is often placed on the ovaries and the uterus. Yet sperm-related factors contribute to nearly half of all cases of infertility. Whether someone is navigating fertility care alone or with a partner, and whether building a family through intercourse, IVI, IUI or IVF, it’s vital to include sperm health in the picture.
With some plans – and it starts with Medicare (CMS) – there is a payment protocol that may be referred to as a multi-therapy discount, but its official name is the multiple-procedure payment reduction (MPPR). If a health care provider performs multiple procedures during a single patient encounter, Medicare (and many commercial insurers) typically will pay “full price” for only the highest-valued procedure.
Our team of authors offer this paper (and this descriptive AT series) as a support for you as a professional, practitioner and member of the acupuncture community at large. We hope that it will serve to further the needs of acupuncturists everywhere and also act as a guide for those wishing to learn about Acupuncture Medicine – patients, healthcare decision makers, policymakers, and other stakeholders.