Acupuncture Is Popular with Patients but Insurance Does Not Cover It

From the NYTimes:

Because her insurer did not cover acupuncture, Ms. Kumar had to pay for the $70 weekly treatments she hoped would put her cycle on a more normal schedule.

Acupuncture remains a largely out-of-pocket form of health care. Sessions with an acupuncturist run about $65 to $120, depending on where you live (and some leading acupuncturists charge as much as $300). Most ailments require at least three treatments, while some chronic issues like arthritis might require biweekly or monthly sessions, depending on the situation.

In a 2007 survey, 3.1 million adults reported using acupuncture in the previous 12 months, up from 2.1 million in a 2002 survey.

References:

Patient Money - Acupuncture May Help, but You’ll Need to Pay - NYTimes.com.

Acupuncture can spread serious diseases: bacterial infections, hepatitis B and C, even HIV
Does traditional Chinese medicine have a place in the health system? http://goo.gl/RH04o

Image source: Needles being inserted into a patient's skin, Wikipedia, public domain.