The Affordable Care Act (ACA) promises to change health care in four ways that directly impact naturopathic medicine. These effects include an emphasis on cost reduction by improving the health of patients suffering with chronic diseases, reimbursement for promotion and wellness activities, non-discrimination by insurance companies to licensed practitioners, and a shift in primary care providers.
This will have a beneficial effect on both patients and local practitioners. Nancy Vieira, owner and practitioner at Good Health Acupuncture in Vancouver, WA, provides Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, and Wellness Coaching for pain management and other health conditions for which Acupuncture has been proven beneficial. Nancy uses several styles of Acupuncture including a prominent style called the ‘Balance System’. The Balance System uses powerful “distal” acupuncture points on the arms and legs to treat all aspects of the body which in most cases can create very rapid results, often obtaining significant pain reduction during the first treatment. If the patients come for a few follow up treatments the results are powerful and long lasting. With this style of acupuncture treatments are very well tolerated because fewer needles are needed to obtain good pain relief.
Iowa Senator, Tom Harkin, the ACA section 2706 author covering alternative therapies, stated the intent was to create a level playing field for patients who wish to access the services of naturopathic physicians and other licensed practitioners within Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture fields. Therapies like the Balance System within acupuncture is one of those services. The Balance System has a unique ability to give fast results for pain. By choosing “remote control” acupuncture points, the patient can move the affected area during treatment to observe the clinical effects. After insertion of the needles, most patients can immediately feel a decrease in pain level and improved range of motion.
The human body is a complex system of connections, primarily made of connections between the central and peripheral nervous system as well as blood vessels and nerves. Acupuncture uses its meridian system to describe the functional organization of these connections to help relieve pain and improve the mechanics of a body.
In previous years patients’ would encounter hurdles in accessing alternative health care providers as they were limited within the confines of western medicine therapies and treatments. Now, in many cases, health insurance companies will pay for alternative health care services such as acupuncture, Chinese medicine and naturopathic medicine.
“It’s time that our healthcare system takes an integrative approach… whether conventional or alternative,” said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. “Patients want good outcomes with good value, and complementary and alternative therapies can provide both.” This is why naturopathic physicians can play an important role in health promotion and wellness programs. Numerous research studies demonstrate that alternative therapies are both clinically effective and cost effective. Nancy Vieira specializes in a variety of methods regarding pain relief in Vancouver, WA. Using the Balance System and other complementary healthcare services, Good Health Acupuncture provides patients with many options for improved health such as acupuncture, Asian massage, nutritional therapies, herbal supplements and wellness counseling. Practitioners like Nancy at Good Health, Acupuncture of Vancouver WA, are offering Chinese Medicine alternatives by providing professional treatment for a wide variety of health conditions. More information can be provided at GoodHealthAcupuncture.net.