What are the treatments like?
Your initial visit is designed to help your practitioner understand your reason for seeking treatment and to assess what may have led to your symptoms. Your initial acupuncture session begins with a comprehensive consultation and physical examination and is followed by an acupuncture treatment. We provide plenty of time to answer your questions, establish clear treatment objectives and provide you with truly personalized care. Subsequent treatment sessions provide time to check in regarding treatment progress, answer questions, as well as to receive acupuncture treatment and have time to relax with the needles in place. Initially, you will generally be seen weekly for an acupuncture treatment in order to create an internal harmony that can be sustained between treatments. As this harmony is achieved, treatment frequency can be adjusted to meet your individual healthcare needs.
How do I prepare for a treatment?
It is best to arrive at your session in as relaxed a manner as possible, having not rushed to get here. It is also important that you have eaten at least a moderate amount of food within a few hours prior to an acupuncture treatment. I would suggest that you wear loose comfortable clothing.
Do the needles hurt?
Acupuncture needles are very thin, approximately the width of a few human hairs. Unlike hypodermic needles, they are not hollow and do not contain or inject any substances. When an acupuncture needle is inserted, you may feel nothing, or a variety of possible sensations including a dull ache, or tingling. I do my best to make you feel as comfortable as possible and have inserted needles into infants without them even noticing.
How much do sessions cost?
The cost of the initial visit, which includes an extensive intake as well as an acupuncture treatment, is $120 if paid at time of service. For subsequent visits, I offer a sliding fee of $75 - $95 (for payment at time of service). I accept payment via cash or check. If you have insurance coverage, please see below for further information.
Does insurance cover acupuncture?
As many people experience the benefits of acupuncture, more and more health insurance plans are beginning to cover acupuncture treatment, especially for pain-related conditions. It is best to check directly with your insurance company to ask if your policy covers acupuncture, for what conditions, and the number of allowable treatments. (Please double-check, as some of this coverage is very new and customer support personnel may not even be aware of it).
I am currently an In-Network Provider for the following insurance plans:
* Auto Insurance Claims for MVAs
* Aetna
* BCBS of MA (including Medicare Advantage Plans)
* Cigna
* CommonwealthCare One Care
* Commonwealth Senior Care
* Harvard Pilgrim
* Health New England (HNE)
* Tufts (including Medicare Advantage Plans)
* United Healthcare
* Worker's Compensation Claims
* MassHealth CarePlus Plans administered by:
* Allways
* BMC HealthNet * Fallon
* Health New England
* Tufts
Please contact me if you have questions regarding insurance coverage for plans not listed above.
*Please note: Due to contractual arrangements with insurance companies, sessions reimbursed by insurance may not correspond to the scheduling or time lengths mentioned above.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AMHERST ACUPUNCTURE & CHINESE MEDICINE
Neil Pregozen, M.Ac., L.Ac.
Serving the Pioneer Valley
(413) 230-9609
