Kaiser approval for acupuncture

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have experience requesting pre-approval from Kaiser for acupuncture in coordination with an IVF cycle (or in anticipation of IVF)? I'm with Shady Grove and was wondering if they will put in an authorization request for that or if I need to do something separately. I emailed my Oby/Gyn to ask for a referral to Pulling Down the Moon but haven't heard back. Thanks for any tips!

[Anonymous]

Do you have acupuncture coverage? Will the acupuncturist take Kaiser. I tried to go to a chiropractor for a bad back and couldn't find an approved one in my area to take Kaiser.

[Anonymous]

OP here, yes - thanks, good point. I do have acupuncture coverage (with a co-pay) for a certain number of sessions. I called up PDTM and they said they make you pay up front but you can submit it to insurance for reimbursement.

[Anonymous]

Kaiser has an alternative medicine department (I visited there recently), and you can go through them to get acupuncture treatment approval.

[Anonymous]

Since Kaiser has some acupuncturists on staff it would be hard to get a referral to go to an outside acupuncturist.

[Anonymous]

Interesting - does Kaiser itself do fertility related acupuncture?

[Anonymous]

Interested as well as I am paying OOP for acu and just assumed I wouldn't be able to submit to Kaiser for fertility. If someone has gone through this please let us know the process and if there is a cap on reimbursement amount per cycle.

[Anonymous]

Honestly if it's for infertility, I doubt it would be covered. I couldn't get anything covered for infertility outside of the 50% for shady grove. I needed extra bloodwork done at Kaiser (normally free) and because they coded it "infertility" I had to pay $100 for it.

[Anonymous]

I thought it was just for pain or something else but no fertility. I don't remember the exact details but I do remember looking into it and concluding that it was better to get FSAFEDS reimbursement than to go through Kaiser.

[Anonymous]

I thought it was just for pain or something else but no fertility. I don't remember the exact details but I do remember looking into it and concluding that it was better to get FSAFEDS reimbursement than to go through Kaiser.

[Anonymous]

The acupuncturists at Kaiser sucks!!! They are not good.

[Anonymous]

Kaiser didn't cover my acupuncture. But, like PP noted, FSAFEDS reimbursed me for all of it. After I maxed out my FSAFEDS, I kept the remaining receipts for income tax deductions. My acupuncturist specialized in fertility and pregnancy, but didn't put note that it was for fertility; to ensure smooth reimbursement, she noted that it was for back pain & stress. (Which I also had!)

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks all. The Kaiser ob/gyn said I could get a referral to Kaiser's acupuncturists (Falls Church, Prince George's or Gaithersburg), but that was the only covered option. So, I guess that's out. I suppose I'll be paying out of pocket with FSA funds. Thanks again.