Acupuncture and Section 2706 of Affordable Care Act

Acupuncture and Section 2706 of Affordable Care Act

Section 2706's provision language from the Affordable Care Act: "A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall not discriminate with respect to participation under the plan or coverage against any health care provider who is acting within the scope of that provider's license or certification under applicable State law. This section shall not require that a group health plan or health insurance issuer contract with any health care provider willing to abide by the terms and conditions for participation established by the plan or issuer. Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing a group health plan, a health insurance issuer, or the Secretary from establishing varying reimbursement rates based on quality or performance measures."

While this provision took effect January 1, 2014 it doesn't mean the law has been enforced, which was one of the intents of the IHPC survey. The provision suggests that if insurance companies are reimbursing MDs and DOs for acupuncture services, then they must reimburse acupuncturists as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't require exchanges under the ACA or private insurance plans to cover acupuncture services, or if they do cover acupuncture, to reimburse at rates equivalent to MD/DOs providing the same service.

The survey returns numbered more than 5,300 responses, representing practitioners in 50 states and three territories: 65 percent of which were licensed acupuncturists.

 

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