Insurance Coverage

Insurance policies are private contracts between insurance companies and those receiving benefits under that policy, so different health insurance policies are ultimately going to contract in and out of different forms of treatment. As a general rule, you can always look for policies that cover more kinds of integrative therapies if those are important to you and your specific course of treatment.

Outside of shopping around for policies that may have more of the types of services you’re looking for, one way to push for movement in this and any other issue area is to pursue some form of legislative advocacy. For integrative therapies, you can speak to your representatives and tell them that these types of treatments should be covered as “essential health benefits” in all plans.

For information on your elected officials go to: http://www.house.gov (to find your U.S. Representative), http://www.senate.gov (to find your U.S. Senators), and http://www.votesmart.org (to find your local elected officials).
Insurance policies are private contracts between insurance companies and those receiving benefits under that policy, so different health insurance policies are ultimately going to contract in and out of different forms of treatment. As a general rule, you can always look for policies that cover more kinds of integrative therapies if those are important to you and your specific course of treatment.

Outside of shopping around for policies that may have more of the types of services you’re looking for, one way to push for movement in this and any other issue area is to pursue some form of legislative advocacy. For integrative therapies, you can speak to your representatives and tell them that these types of treatments should be covered as “essential health benefits” in all plans.

For information on your elected officials go to: http://www.house.gov (to find your U.S. Representative), http://www.senate.gov (to find your U.S. Senators), and http://www.votesmart.org (to find your local elected officials).

Almost all indsurances cover external breast prostheses post mastectomy. They are usually covered under the DMEPOS (Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetic Orthotic Supplies) portion of a private insurer and may have a separate deductible from general medical treatments. There are usually time and quantity limits and breast prostheses, bras and accessories and these differ depending on the health plan. A prescription is always necessary when billing insurance. Some states require those individuals that fit breast forms and bras to be licensed and/or certified. Medicare covers breast prostheses and bras under some limts with a prescription and when a certified provider is consulted. Yes, insurance usually pays for the cost of a breast prosthesis after mastectomy. You may need a prescription from your physician.

We are going to organize a panel on insurance at our March 1-3, 2012 West Palm Beach conference and hope to really get a national conversation going. Insurance is a state by state issue UNLESS Medicare takes it on. With the costs rising for conventional cancer treatment - sometimes to insane leveles - this may happen.

We need a leader for the issue and petitions started. I have been told that insurance companies fear that supporting healthy behavior could 'cost too much'. But I do not see that myself.

Perhaps if people come to our Facebook page Annnie Appleseed Project (nonprofit) and express their feelings on this, we can take it further. We are going to organize a panel on insurance at our March 1-3, 2012 West Palm Beach conference and hope to really get a national conversation going. Insurance is a state by state issue UNLESS Medicare takes it on. With the costs rising for conventional cancer treatment - sometimes to insane leveles - this may happen.

We need a leader for the issue and petitions started. I have been told that insurance companies fear that supporting healthy behavior could 'cost too much'. But I do not see that myself.

Perhaps if people come to our Facebook page Annnie Appleseed Project (nonprofit) and express their feelings on this, we can take it further.