Cost Sharing for Acupuncture Therapy in Commercial Insurance Plans

Background: Cost sharing, or the extent to which patients contribute to health care spending, has been linked to various outcomes. The relationship between cost sharing and acupuncture utilization is unclear. Objectives: To measure the association between cost sharing (eg, copays, share of spending paid out of pocket, and consumer-driven health plans marked by high deductibles) and the use of in-network acupuncturists. Methods: Our team used commercial insurance claims. The study sample included 105 501 individuals who visited an in-network acupuncturist between 2012 and 2021. Results: In plans with less out-of-pocket spending overall, more members used an in-network acupuncturist. Plans with $0 copays and consumer-driven health plans had less acupuncture utilization compared to plans with higher copays and non-consumer driven health plans. Conclusion: Cost sharing had an inconsistent impact on acupuncture utilization. Our findings suggest that access to in-network acupuncturists is more important than cost sharing when it comes to increasing acupuncture utilization.