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Patients and practitioners press for insurance coverage of acupuncture for pain, nausea and PTSD
Summary
Patients who found acupuncture effective for chemotherapy nausea, chronic pain and other conditions and licensed acupuncturists urged the committee to pass H1148/S834 to make acupuncture a covered, equitable treatment in state insurance plans including public‑employee plans and MassHealth.
Multiple patients and licensed acupuncturists testified in favor of H1148/S834, which would require broader insurance coverage for acupuncture services for pain, nausea, PTSD and substance‑use disorders. Survivors described chemotherapy‑related nausea and vagal‑nerve dysfunction alleviated by acupuncture and said that access to the service directly enabled completion of medical care.
Regina Mason recounted chemotherapy nausea that was controlled by a cancer‑center acupuncture program that had relied on community donations; later, insurance coverage (ten sessions) helped her maintain function though she noted that more sessions are often needed. Naomi Allison and Dr. Amy Major (doctorate in acupuncture) described clinical evidence and cost‑effectiveness arguments; Dr. Major asked the committee to require parity for GIC / public‑employee plans that currently exclude acupuncture in some large plans.
Witnesses noted that many hospitals operate acupuncture programs and that the Joint Commission has recommended insurer coverage for acupuncture for pain; they urged statutory parity so coverage is consistently available across MassHealth, private plans, and public‑employee plans. Committee members received personal stories and asked practical questions about session limits and prior‑authorization processes. No committee vote was recorded.
