Whether you accept it, avoid it or live somewhere in between, insurance coverage has become a defining issue for our profession. Patients increasingly expect to use their benefits, practitioners want to be compensated fairly for their time and expertise, and the system itself remains – at best – fragmented. The encouraging news is that coverage has expanded in meaningful ways. The challenging news is that reimbursement, across the board, remains inadequate.
Brenda Loew, MAc, LAc
Brenda Loew, MAc, LAc, specializes in Toyohari meridian therapy, shonishin (pediatrics) and Manaka treatment approaches at her practice in Seattle, Wash. She is the president of the Toyohari Association of North America, one of the founding members of the Japanese Acupuncture Institute, and has been teaching Japanese-style acupuncture systems since 1994. She can be reached at gentleacupuncture@earthlink.net.