Making Natural Healthcare Affordable

As an acupuncturist, I strive to offer top quality healthcare. Visits in a natural clinic take a lot of time, and of course the more time something takes, the more it will cost. I try to help those with income issues when I can. Here are a few tips you can use with me if you are local or apply the principle with your holistic practitioner wherever you live:

1. Look for discount promotions. I occasionally run promotional offers. I have one promotion with Amazon Local starting Friday, June 8. To see it, visit: http://local.amazon.com/richmond. If you are not in the Richmond, VA area, look to services like Amazon Local, Groupon, or Living Social to see if there are practitioners offering similar deals. 
2. Follow natural healthcare on social media. Most businesses offer discounts on their Facebook or Twitter pages. If you want to see a particular practitioner or health food/service provider, see if they have a Facebook page or Twitter account. (You can "like" my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/Greenacuclinic, and follow me on Twitter  http://twitter.com/#!/taygreen ). If they offer a newsletter, sign up for that, too. I always let my email subscribers in on any special deals, and most other practitioners do, too!
3. See if there is a community practice or if a provider offers lower priced services. For instance, I offer ear acupuncture every Thursday evening from 4-6pm, and it only costs $20/visit. It may take a little longer to see lasting results than with a regular treatment, but it diminishes stress and manages pain well. For those who cannot afford "deluxe care," it offers an affordable way to get basic wellness treatments. Many acupuncturists and chiropractors offer discounted rates on certain days, or build their practice around community practice, where they offer a simplified treatment to several patients at once to lower costs.
4. Be up front with your provider. I work with my patients to put together a treatment plan that addresses their health, as well as time and money parameters. In my practice, we intermix ear and regular acupuncture, or focus more on herbal treatment to save money on the more expensive acupuncture visits (and herbal therapy has been a viable stand-alone therapeutic method for centuries). Talk to your provider to see if they have money saving strategies for you. Remember that going for "no-frills" care may mean sticking with a treatment a little longer to see results.
   
5. Take care of yourself. I give all my patients plenty of lifestyle recommendations. Those who follow them tend to see results more quickly and need fewer treatments. Ask your practitioner if they recommend certain exercises, or foods, or supplements to make your progress faster. 

I hope this helps. I am committed to helping you with your natural healthcare needs--whether you are a patient in my clinic or just want some advice to apply to your situation. Please feel free to comment or email me at greenacuclinic(at)gmail.com if you have any other questions!