Page 18 - Hani Times April 2019

18 종합 April 1, 2019 Vol. 1 Hani Times

Will Medicare Cover Acupuncture For Chronic Low

Back Pain? By Namwook Cho, L.Ac.

“Acupuncture (and massage...) from last January 15, 2019 for 30 treatment options for chronic pain.
should be included in Medicare. calendar days and NCA expecting The Agency for Healthcare
My families, and many senior the review will be completed by Research and Quality (AHRQ),
citizens I know, are huge fans of October 13th, 2019. CMS, and National Institutes of
Medicare. They are also cognizant NCA is to complete a thorough Health (NIH) are collaborating in
of the fact that their lives would be review of the evidence to determine this effort.
better if acupuncture and massage if acupuncture for CLBP is The Agency for Healthcare
were covered.” reasonable and necessary under the Research and Quality published a
-A Senior citizen who supports Medicare program. systematic review of noninvasive,
acupuncture treatment for Low back pain is a common nonpharmacological treatment for
Medicare. condition affecting many chronic pain in last June, 2018.
“Acupuncture for Chronic Low individuals at some point in their This review included assessment
Back Pain is a very effective, none lives. Some individuals will develop of several nonpharmacological
invasive, non- chemical, Positive CLBP, which is an episode of low interventions, including exercise,
benefit relieving while helping the back pain that has persisted for 3 acupuncture, spinal manipulation,
△ After fall of 2019, CMS will decide whether acupuncture will be
whole person feel better.” months or longer. and multidisciplinary rehabilitation
added to Medicare or not. Photoⓒdizain
-A medical doctor who supports In response to the U.S. opioid crisis, for CLBP.
acupuncture for Medicare. Health and Human Services (HHS) Actual comments supporting
More than 400 comments should be added to Medicare treatment coverage in Medicare is focused on preventing opioid acupuncture treatment for CLBP
from patients, acupuncturist, system. have surged. use disorder and providing more could be seen https://www.cms.gov/
chiropractors, and medical doctors Currently, acupuncture treatment for U.S. Centers for Medicare & evidence-based non-pharmacologic medicare-coverage-database.
supports that acupuncture treatment CLBP is not covered by Medicare. Medicaid Services (CMS) surveyed
for chronic low back pain (CLBP) But chances for adding acupuncture national coverage analysis (NCA)
Facts and Findings Regarding

Acupuncture Treatment for LBP

△ Varies Pain Symptoms. Photoⓒstaras

Back pain is one of the most observational study was set up
common reasons for Americans by ten health insurance funds.
to visit their doctor. The study examined 454,920
American S ociety of patients with one or more
Acupuncture recently diagnoses of chronic pain,
introduced some interesting including low back pain (45%
studies regarding acupuncture of patients), headache (36%),
treatments. and osteoarthritis (12%), who
According to American Society were treated with acupuncture.
of Acupuncturist’s recent Effectiveness of acupuncture
survey, was rated by physicians in
ㆍ Chronic neck and/or back 22% of the patients as marked,
pain were/was found to affect in 54% as moderate, in 16%
54 percent of American adults as minimal, and in 4% as poor
in 2017. (unchanged).
ㆍ Another survey found that ㆍ Another German study
32.5 percent of those 65 years involving 340 outpatient
and older suffer from back acupuncture practices and
pain. 1,162 patients with a mean
ㆍ 29 percent of Americans of eight years of back pain,
believe their low back pain received ten treatments over a
was due to stress, 26 percent five-week period.
believed it was due to being The patients’ back pain reduced
sedentary/weak muscles, and for more than six months post
26 percent blamed physical treatment, and the acupuncture
work. effectiveness was almost twice
ㆍ In Germany, a large-scale that of conventional therapy.