Understanding the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare)

Are you trying to decipher how the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) is going to affect the healthcare coverage for you and your family?  If so, you're not alone. We've gathered some resources to help you better understand the plan and coverage options to make the best decision possible.

Forbes.com

Obama Care Facts

Covered California

And now the BIG QUESTION, will Obamacare cover Integrative Medicine?  It's a very important question as a 2011 Consumer Reports survey showed that 38 million Americans make an excess of 300 million visits each year to Complimentary and Alternative Medicine specialists, including acupuncture, massage therapists and chiropractors.

There's some good news.  In general, Chiropractic care WILL be covered under Obamacare provided that the state defined health care law accounts for coverage. (http://www.examiner.com/article/obamacare-and-chiropractic)  Chiropractic and other forms of alternative medicine may be more accessible now that insurance coverage will be available to more Americans.  And Chiropractors and other Alternative Healthcare Providers will be considered Primary Care Physicians.

(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/07/how-the-health-reform-law-will-impact-alternative-medicine-access.html)

Now, for the not-so-good news... California and Oregon, currently do not deem Chiropractic care to be an "essential health benefit". Because of this, their state plans do not have to cover Chiropractic services. This leaves patients that are covered under Obamacare the responsibility of covering these services out of pocket.   So while we may not receive many newly insured patients in our office until Chiropractic is covered, fortunately, the majority of insurance patients at InnerMovement are already covered through their workplace and statistics are showing in favor of these plans staying the same with additional coverage for Maternity, Dental and Pediatric care.   

In a nutshell, if you already have Chiropractic, Massage and/or Acupuncture benefits, you aren't likely to lose them. However it's a good idea to review your insurance policy yearly to make sure you're aware of your plan benefits. 

If you do not already have coverage and will be participating in Obamacare, your benefits will be as follows:

• Chiropractic will not be covered until the State of California amends it's position on whether this is considered an "Essential Health Benefit".
• Acupuncture will be covered under "Essential Health Benefits" but only for certain conditions.
• Massage Therapy will not be covered.

BUT... not to worry,   

InnerMovement has you covered.  

 We've partnered with a supplemental life insurance provider and will continue to offer cash discounts to those lacking sufficient healthcare coverage because we believe that EVERYONE has the right to access wellness care to be able to live a healthy, vibrant life.