Chiropractic/Acupuncture InsuranceMedical plan cost increases and benefit reductions adversely impact employees. By adding chiropractic and acupuncture benefits to your employee benefit plan at a fraction of the cost of a dental plan, you can give your employees something they perceive as valuable at a low cost to you. Acupuncture originating from China, involves inserting small needles into various points in the body to stimulate nerve impulses. Traditional Chinese acupuncture is based on the idea of 'qi' (vital energy) that is said to travel around the body along ‘meridians’ which the acupuncture points affect. Western Acupuncture uses the same needling technique but is based on affecting nerve impulses and the central nervous system; acupuncture may be used in the West as an anesthetic agent and also as an analgesic. Chiropractic care is an alternative medicine therapy administered by a provider such as a chiropractor, osteopath, or physical therapist. Chiropractic is used almost entirely to treat musculo-skeletal complaints through adjusting muscles, tendons, and joints and using manipulation and massage techniques. Diagnostic procedures include case histories, conventional clinical examination, and x-rays. Chiropractic was originally based on the idea that 'reduced nerve flow' led to disease. Through its subsidiaries, American Specialty Health, Incorporated (ASH) provides benefit programs for chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, dietetic counseling, and naturopathy services, as well as vitamin/mineral and health products. With more than 25,000 chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, dietitians, naturopathic doctors, fitness clubs, radiology and clinical lab facilities, ASH provides the largest network of its kind nationwide. |