FINANCIAL POLICY

We are pleased that you have chosen to work with the Santa Cruz Center for Traditional Medicine. The fees charged at this office are comparable to those charged by other specialists with similar qualifications in this geographic area.  In an effort to better serve you, we have developed several payment plans, one of which we hope will fit your particular situation. 

Should you have any questions, we will do our best to help answer them for you.

Option 1 – Prompt Payment

We accept Mastercard, Visa, checks and cash for your convenience.  All payments are expected at the time of service. 

Full payment at the time of service qualifies for our “prompt payment” fee schedule.  Upon request we will provide insurance superbills for self-reimbursement. Please inquire.

Option 2 – Continuing Care / Family Plan/ Well By Choice Plan

This is not insurance, but is available to our uninsured or underinsured patient who require or desire frequent visits. You can prepay for blocks of 10, 25 or 50 visits. If necessary, you may stop treatment at any time during the period and a refund will be made to you based on the individual visit rate for the care you have received. 

Herbal products and supplements are in addition to treatment fees.

1. There may be a charge of $15.00 for returned checks

2. There may be a charge of 1.5% interest per month (18%APR) on all coinsurance, deductible and patient portion of balances unpaid over 30 days.

CANCELLATION POLICY

PLEASE GIVE AT LEAST 48 HOURS NOTICE OF CANCELLATION, AT WHICH TIME WE CAN EASILY RESCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT. 

YOU ARE EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THE TIME SET ASIDE FOR YOU IN CASE OF ANY MISSED APPOINTMENT, OR AN APPOINTMENT

CANCELLED LESS THAN 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. A CANCELLATION FEE WILL APPLY FOR APPOINTMENTS CANCELLED LESS THAN

A FULL 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE.

HOUSE CALLS:

The Santa Cruz Center for Traditional Medicine has a reputation for providing timely, compassionate, and quality care at the location of your choice. We understand that there are times when you, your family, or your clients are unable to go to the doctor. We also understand that the emergency room may be an inappropriate place to receive non-emergency care.

Our Center takes away the burden and inconvenience of waiting in doctors' offices and emergency rooms. We ensure quality medical attention from board-certified practitioners who genuinely care about their patients' health and well-being.

Good reasons for a housecall:

    * Weekends and evenings: the only other option is a journey to the emergency room.

    * Only one of your children is sick.

    * Too sick or too weak to leave the house.

    * Unable to leave work in the middle of the day.

    * Recently hospitalized and would like a follow up visit.

The Santa Cruz Center for Traditional Medicine is committed to bringing the doctor's office to you.

ANSWERS TO GENERAL QUESTIONS:  Free

If you want to know more about acupuncture, or to see if it is right for you, please feel free to call us anytime. 

We are often able to answer your questions over the phone, or we can schedule an appointment for a brief consultation.

CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE:

The consultation for a Chinese herbal formula is included in the Initial and Return visit fees. 

The actual herbal formula is an additional cost. The cost of the formula can range between $15-75 for a 10-14 day supply, depending on the method used (i.e. pill/powder/tincture/decoction) & size.

If you only want an herbal consultation, we charge $50. Please expect 20-30 minutes for this.

PAYMENT

Payment must be made at the time of service.  The Santa Cruz Center for Traditional Medicine accepts cash, check, VISA, & MasterCard.

TAX DEDUCTIONS

The costs of acupuncture and herbal medicines are generally considered deductible as medical expenses.  Please consult your tax advisor and refer to

IRS Publication 502 for more details.

INSURANCE
Some health insurance companies in California cover varying levels of coverage of acupuncture and herbal therapies. Medicaid & Medicare do not provide coverage. 

As more and more insurance companies begin to understand the therapeutic benefit & long term cost savings of acupuncture & Chinese herbal medicine, insurance coverage will be expanded.  It is always best to check with your health insurance company first in order to see if you have eligibility and coverage for our services.

If your insurance company will reimburse you for part or all of your treatment, the Santa Cruz Center for Traditional Medicine will provide the necessary legal documentation (i.e. superbill, copy of your treatment notes, etc.) in order for you to obtain reimbursement from your health insurance company.

We will always do our best to serve your needs.

FLEX PLANS

Acupuncture is a covered medical expense under many Flex Plans.  Additionally, some plans may reimburse you for the cost of Chinese herbal medicine. Please check with your Flex Plan administrator to make sure that your particular plan covers acupuncture treatments and/or the cost of Chinese herbal medicine.

GIFT CERTIFICATES

Do you know someone that might be interested in our services?  A gift certificate is a great way to introduce them to a new modality.  We have gift certificate cards available for purchase.  Please call, email or stop on by to purchase a gift certificate.