Stem cells, chiropractic, acupuncture, oils… the success stories are numerous and compelling. New evidence supports these approaches every day.
But health insurance often does not cover these treatments. It can be discouraging to pay into a health insurance plan month after month, and then dig into your pockets once again to pay for an alternative service.
According to eHealthInsurance, for unsubsidized customers in 2016, “premiums for individual coverage averaged $321 per month while premiums for family plans averaged $833 per month. The average annual deductible for individual plans was $4,358 and the average deductible for family plans was $7,983.”
That’s pretty steep – no wonder people don’t want to shell out more!
Here are some thoughts that may help to offer some perspective:
First of all, you never know when you will need emergency medicine… but you certainly want to be prepared for that possibility. Even the most die-hard adherents to alternative medicine want emergency services in the event of a car accident, heart attack, and a long list of other possibilities that affect thousands each day.
Your insurance expenses could pay for themselves in a pretty short time, considering the costs of emergency rooms, MRIs, ICU, etc.
Next, consider the fact that with ever-increasing co-pays and deductibles, mainstream medicine still adds up to a lot of out-of-pocket expense. If you have ever had surgery, you have probably received a jaw-dropping stack of bills: lab, pharmacy, surgeon, x-ray, hospital – the list goes on and on.
Since you will probably be spending extra money anyway, where do you want that money to go?
It is worth considering that money spent on alternatives health care is money diverted from co-pays and deductibles and, instead, put towards more natural options that could spare you the cost of prescriptions and doctor visits.
In Pain Revealed, we saw again and again how patients were able to avoid costly surgeries and dangerous narcotics by receiving treatments such as stem cells or chiropractic. Acupuncture and essential oils were shown to relieve pain and inflammation, avoiding the long-term damage of cortisone shots or NSAIDs.
Patients told us that they were thankful they had chosen these alternative therapies, and urged others to seek these treatments as well. So if you must pay for one or the other, why not choose the least invasive, most natural option with the fewest side effects?
Taken a step further, is there money you can spend in your day-to-day life on general wellness that can promote your health and avoid the doctor altogether?
Think organics, whole foods over junk food, and herbs and oils for common illnesses. Think high-quality supplements and yoga or other healthful exercise options.
Have you ever considered advocating for alternative health options directly to your insurance company? More and more insurance plans are adding coverage for what was once considered alternative. If insurance companies are hearing from more and more patients, they will reconsider what they offer.
In the end, you may be better off thinking of your health insurance as emergency insurance. You need it to be there in case of a car accident or other unforeseen emergency, but it does not mean that all of your healthcare choices need to fall under the umbrella of mainstream medicine.
While alternative therapies and approaches may appear to involve greater expense to you as a healthcare consumer, when you consider the long-term benefits they can be just as cost-effective and far more health-promoting.
Great viewpoint! Thank you!
I agree!
I totally agree. But most people on disability because of a chronic illness cannot raise and pay the exorbitant prices for stem cell therapy and other expensive treatments that have to be paid in full or financed at extremly high interest rates. This medicine is for the rich and famous only.
It’s unfortunate that insurance hasn’t caught up with medical advancement, for sure. There are some ways to address pain that are free or very inexpensive, such as intermittent fasting to raise stem cells naturally. Hopefully, insurance companies will soon realize that paying for care that’s now considered “alternative” is actually a great way to save money in the long run…until then, sending them a note asking them to consider covering these things is a good idea.
I totally agree. Good health is for the rich. Supplements are ridiculously expensive. Alternative care is cost prohibitive even for those on fixed incomes. All I can afford is grass fed hamburger meat, Salmon on sale, canned sardines, and organic vegetables. I do my best with what little I have and spread out my supplements weekly instead of daily.
I definitely think it’s worth eating better which can cost more, but i am investing in my health and it benefits me now…if i kept eating the diet many other Americans eat, I would be paying for meds and not feeling or getting healthy. Health care system is broken, and it doesn’t want you actually healthy as there’s no money in that for big pharma or ins system. Alternative med is the wise investment in your own health thru life. Your worth it
So true!
i totally agree. I have a chiropractor, I’ve had cranial sacral therapy, I have very good supplements (have seen a kinesiologist several times for great nutrition and supplements) I have an unusual dentist who does amazing work on my bite/jaw (even does chiropractor treatment on my jaw) because I have trigeminal neuralgia. I had a bike accident and I can put it blunt that you need health insurance for a possible accident….I had brain surgery due to a hematoma.
at times the costs for everything is so unjust!!!
Joan, glad that you’re recovering from your accident! And it sounds like you’ve got an excellent team working with you. Thanks for commenting!
I am getting ready to purchase the series I watched a few months ago. They were sooooooo helpful. I’m currently seeing a functional medicine doctor right now. They are utilizing my health insurance for many labs. Others we are paying ourselves. We have a high deductible plan and utilize a HSA account to the max to pay for supplements and other necessary tests and therapy. This was we can deduct the expenses.
My family and I have been in the insurance industry since 1987. Wow, has it changed! We don’t like health insurance and their philosophies and sell outside the marketplace as often as possible. Health insurance is a necessary service we provide our clients. Our goal is to save them money at all possible angles. Anyway, my point is get an HSA account. Buy health insurance outside the marketplace when and if you can. The savings allows you to put money in your HSA account to use for healthy, healing supplements and services. The prices that are posted are very deceiving and seem way off. The average cost for health insurance in the marketplace for 24 YEAR OLD may be around $350, but not for anyone much older. Individuals in the 50’s pay around $750 a month.
Anyway, there are so many ways to save money to save your life. So a budget and make it a priority. Sell stuff you don’t need around the house, sell it online. …just some ideas. We have to be creative to make it work.
Thanks again for the series. I look forward to studying it like a college course.
This is great advice, Ellen. Thanks! And, so glad you’re looking forward to diving into the Pain Revealed series. There’s so much packed into the episodes, it really is similar to a college course!
Third party payers like the government and insurance are responsible for diving up the price of allopathic care. The last thing I want to see is insurance to start covering alternative care, which would drive up the price of that as well.