Natural medicine is becoming more and more popular, and more and more recognized. People are seeing the value in holistic and functional medicines and opting to work with naturopathic doctors over traditional, western doctors.
Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself. It embraces many therapies, including herbs, acupuncture, and chiropractic services. The goal of naturopathic medicine is to treat the whole person — that means mind, body, and spirit. It also aims to heal the root causes of an illness — not just stop the symptoms.
Some of the techniques used by naturopathic doctors include:
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractor
- Herbs
Why Consider Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic physicians have many holistic techniques that can patients’ needs and eliminate or reduce the need for prescriptions. Many seniors have been prescribed a large amount of prescriptions from non-naturopathic doctors. Over-prescribing can lead to dangerous drug interactions, bad side effects, and even drug addiction in seniors.
What is Acupuncture and Is it Covered?
Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese medicine. Needles are inserted throughout the body to promote natural healing and in many cases help relieve pain.
Pain relief is one reason many people have started turning to acupuncture. A naturopathic physician can treat issues like back pain, carpal tunnel, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and sciatica with acupuncture.
Up until recently, acupuncture was not covered by Medicare. However, as of Jan 2020, Medicare has made a decision to cover acupuncture when treating chronic back pain. Chronic back pain has to be pain lasting at least 12 weeks and caused by a non-identifiable condition or disease. If approved, you will qualify for up to 12 sessions taking place in a 3-month window. If improvement can be proven, Medicare will cover an additional 8 sessions. 20 sessions is the max amount of sessions that will be covered within one year.
What is Chiropractor Care and is it Covered?
Medicare Part B does cover some chiropractic care when it is deemed medically necessary. The treatment system chiropractors use to align your muscles and bones is called “chiropractic care.” There are many different methods a chiropractor can use, one of which is referred to as spinal manipulation. This is when the chiropractor performs specific movements designed to bring your body back into normal alignment.
As it stands, manual manipulation of the spine is the only kind of chiropractic treatment covered by Medicare. It’s also important to note that you’ll need an official diagnosis from a licensed chiropractor for Medicare to cover your treatment.
What is Cannabis and Does Medicare Cover it?
Cannabis refers to a group of plants with psychoactive properties. It is usually consumed for its relaxing and calming effects and has been prescribed to help with a range of medical conditions. While over 30 states now allow residents to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, Medicare does not cover this use. The same is true for CBD oil.
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