| HMO | Alternative Therapies |
| Aetna US Healthcare | Excludes: Acupuncture, thermography (an infrared camera used to measure temperature variations on the body). |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Covers: Biofeedback for the following specific pain syndromes: migraine and muscle contraction headaches, muscle re-education or muscle tension, Reynaud’s phenomena, torticollis (including facial tics), and paralumbar or back pain.
Excludes: Biofeedback for all other conditions. |
| CIGNA / Healthsource | Covers: Medical biofeedback treatment.
Limits: Visit limits apply. Cost Sharing: Copayment applies. |
| Doctors Health Plan | Covers: Biofeedback treatment for medical conditions.
Limits: Biofeedback covered up to 20 visits per contract year. Must be approved in advance by Doctors and must be provided by a participating provider or facility unless no participating provider is available. Excludes: Acupuncture; massage therapy; pain management therapy (except as medically necessary). |
| Generations | Covers: Acupuncture performed by a participating provider and used as a form of anesthesia in connection with a covered surgical procedure.
Excludes: Acupuncture for other purposes. |
| Optimum Choice | Covers: Acupuncture and biofeedback.
Excludes: Hypnotherapy. |
| PARTNERS | Covers: Biofeedback and acupuncture.
Limits: Biofeedback limited to 60 day period of treatment per illness and prior approval by plan. Acupuncture must be performed by plan-approved physician and approved in advance by Partners. Excludes: Naturopathy; homeopathy; hypnotherapy; massage therapy; maintenance biofeedback; nutritional supplements; thermography; recreational, educational and sleep therapy. |
| Coventry/Principal Health Care of the Carolinas | Excludes: Acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnotherapy, and sleep therapy. |
| QualChoice | Covers: Limited chelation therapy for heavy metal poisoning.
Excludes: Acupuncture (available through a rider), acupressure and hypnotherapy. Also excludes behavioral health treatments that are considered experimental and unproven, including psychosurgery, megavitamin therapy, nutritionally-based therapies for alcoholism and substance abuse, non-abstinence based substance abuse treatments and treatments for so-called sexual addictions or co-dependency. |
| The Wellness Plan of North Carolina, Inc. | Excludes: Biofeedback therapy, acupuncture, and behavior modification programs (including hypnotherapy). |
| United HealthCare | Covers: Short-term biofeedback training provided in a participating physician’s office.
Limits: Coverage limited to the treatment of headache. Cost Sharing: Copayment applies. Excludes: Treatment, services and supplies related to acupuncture; psychosurgery; megavitamin therapy. |
| WellPath | Excluded from base policy, but offers stress management, massage therapy, acupuncture, discounts on vitamins, herbs and other alternative therapies and treatments. Members receive a 20% discount off of participating health care providers’ charges and at least a 10% discount at participating retail stores. |