Healthcare System in China
Healthcare in China has undergone changes over the past decades, using public and private systems. As of 2020, 95% of people have basic health coverage. This includes employee and resident medical insurance.
Urban Employee Insurance Plan
Urban employee insurance is paid by the employer and employee. For non-enterprise residents, insurance is paid by themselves and the state. For the unemployed or those receiving assistance, the state subsidizes insurance.
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Insurance Coverage
Seeking herbal medicine, go to a certified herbalist. Get insurance covering traditional Chinese medicine to understand Chinese culture. You may find health benefits are true for you. Not every insurance covers treatments like acupuncture and herbs. While acupuncture qualifies for Medicare rebates sometimes, most traditional Chinese medicine is not covered.
Why Insurance Companies Don’t Cover Holistic Medicine?
However, holistic medicine is not covered by most insurance companies. Why is that? Insurance providers do not cover this type of treatment because it has not been scientifically proven to be effective in treating medical conditions.
According to the National Institute of Health, insurance companies may cover some alternative treatments, including chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage. However, holistic medicine is not covered by most insurance companies.
Reasons Insurance Doesn’t Cover Holistic Doctors and Functional Medicine
Although many holistic doctors and functional medicine practitioners can submit claims, generally most are cash pay. Why?! Let me give you 7 reasons insurance doesn’t cover holistic doctors and functional medicine:
- Insurance is not patient-centered.
- Treatments not scientifically proven to insurance companies’ standards.
- Difficult to quantify and verify treatments.
- Hard to determine medical necessity.
- Treatments seen as experimental.
- Potential for overutilization.
- Administrative difficulties coordinating care.