ALL ABOUT INSURANCE
The question — do I bill insurance directly?
Healthcare is expensive. Fertility treatments are expensive. Acupuncture is expensive. So, I take my choice not to bill insurance directly seriously. In everything I do, I aim to make your life better and your stress lower. So asking you to spend more out of pocket has to be worth it. Here's why I feel it is.
#1
You've experienced western medicine right?! When insurance runs the show they delegate how many treatments, what I can and cannot bill for, the structure of my visits, the pace I have to work at, the number of patients I have to see to make a living, etc. It simply doesn't fit my model of care and what I think most fertility patients really need.
When you pay out of pocket we (you and I together) get to run the show and get to do what we really need to do.
"I see 10 patients in the time most acupuncturist see 15+."
I spend more time with each patient during visits. I get to talk with you for 20 - 30 minutes at every visit. I can follow along with your life and changes happening in your body, give you feedback and ideas and explanations in real time.
I can answer your questions … how does Lupron work? Is it okay to drink coffee? Should you take supplements? What does one IVF protocol do different than the next?
I have time to teach you skills you need … how to be more present, process emotions like grief, frustration, anxiety, and anger in a healthy way, learn how to eat food that will give you the most bang for your buck, ways to make shots hurt less (and your butt less lumpy), what gratitude can do for anxiety, how to retrain your brain to do less and not stress out over it, and so much more.
Plus, you get to get a full length acupuncture treatment complete with massage and any other "accessory techniques" that might be helpful — all included in the flat visit fee.
I also spend more time per patient between visits. I answer emails, check in as needed, and can be flexible and on-call for time sensitive needs so you don’t get pushed into seeing other providers on your biggest days!
#2
When I do all the above, you get better with fewer treatments and have more of a say in your own health. I give you a treatment to get things moving in the right direction and you walk out the door and keep adding more layers and more good choices to help yourself. You will understand your patterns of imbalance, what your hormones are doing, ways your lifestyle helps or hurts your health and so much more.
#3
When I do the above, you can sustain your progress after we are through working together. If you come in and I just stick you with needles and tell you what to do (or not do) without you understanding why or how to help yourself, you're going to backslide and keep making the same choices. My goal is to help you with your goals right now (for example — I want to be pregnant), but also help you be more healthy and balanced for the long term (for example — once you get pregnant you're in a better position to be a more balanced mom).
I promise you, I am a very budget minded person myself. I want you to know I get it. I hope you see why my practice is structured the way it is, and also want you to know you need to do what makes the most sense for you. Want to see me and do some community acupuncture in between? Want to only come in once a month? Want to get as much lifestyle options as possible and see how far they can get you without the acupuncture? Want to try me once and see if it's worth it or not without any pressure? You let me know what you need and want and I'm happy to be on your team.
I’m also happy to provide you with billing codes so that you can submit your own receipts to your Health Savings Account (HSA) or insurance company. At the very least you'll save by getting tax free dollars, and you may also receive some reimbursement after the fact for the money you spent too.
If I feel like a good fit for you, I'd love for you to give me a call or shoot me an email. We can chat more about your specific circumstances and get you moving in the right direction.
In health,
Nicole
Nicole Lange
LICENSED ACUPUNCTURIST
HOLISTIC FERTILITY EDUCATOR
