New Patients
Here at GoldStar Acupuncture, we love meeting new patients. Part of easing your concerns is explaining what you can expect from our practice. We focus on providing quality acupuncture and traditional naturopathic care, excellent customer service, and a relaxing environment to maintain a lasting relationship. We consider your first visit the start of a long-term relationship with you. Once you have been with us for a while, you can continue to expect the same highest level of service.
For more information on your initial visit or to request an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (209) 353-4242!
Financial Info
Your health is yours forever, and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to receive the best natural healthcare when you need it. The cost of your treatment will vary depending on your individual needs and treatment plan. Each acupuncture treatment, consultation or other traditional naturopathic procedure is tailored for your wants, needs and medical conditions. We will discuss with you the cost of your treatment and each of your available payment options before you begin, so that you can make the best choice for you.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
Our practice accepts cash, checks, visa, mastercard, discover, and amex.
We are an out-of-network healthcare provider and may also accept certain PPO plans that include acupuncture coverage components. If you have a PPO insurance policy with acupuncture benefits, we will make sure to put forth our best effort into giving you a personalized pre-determination of your benefits prior to your procedure. Please contact us to start the verification process and request prior authorization for use with our office.
We unfortunately cannot bill HMO plans or medicare plans. We apologize for the inconvenience. For more information about insurance, see our FAQs section below.
Your First Visit
FAQs
While many insurance carriers now advertise offering coverage for acupuncture and related services, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will actually pay for it. Most healthcare insurance plans with acupuncture coverage have many exceptions that limit and restrict reimbursement, such as maximum benefits and amounts allowed, limited number of covered visits, limited to specific conditions only, medical necessity, etc.
Fortunately, our office is well versed on these details to ensure we help you get the most out of using your insurance to help pay for acupuncture services. If you have a PPO insurance plan with acupuncture benefits and plan on trying to use it with our office, contact us first before making your appointment to begin the verification process and get prior authorization.
No, you do not need a referral to receive acupuncture treatment. We are primary care providers and can provide you treatment independently without referral. Some people may seek a doctor referral for acupuncture to try and use their insurance to cover expenses or for help finding a practitioner, but this is not required.
Acupuncture itself is very safe in the hands of a competent practitioner. It generally presents little to no side effects and rarely makes a condition worse. If these do occur it’s usually indicative of the healing process and any ill effects disappear within days of treatment.
However acupuncture is not for everyone, and there are times when precautions must be made. For example, people who are not eligible for acupuncture include those with hemophilia or contagious skin diseases. On the other hand, people on blood-thinning medication, or who tend to bruise easily, or who are pregnant, can receive acupuncture but should disclose their medical history to their acupuncturist prior to treatment so that certain precautions are made.
Where severe danger exists is in the inappropriate application of acupuncture by poorly trained and unskilled non-acupuncture therapists and physicians, many which do not receive the same instruction and training as licensed acupuncturists. To ensure safety when receiving acupuncture, it is highly recommended to use a practitioner who has received proper education and schooling in acupuncture, and is certified and licensed to practice acupuncture by an official governing acupuncture board, agency, or organization.
In general, acupuncture will not minimize any treatment or medication you have used or will use. Recent studies suggest acupuncture may actually enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of other treatments and reduce some of their adverse reactions.
However because acupuncture and some herbal and nutritional supplements prescribed by acupuncturists can sometimes diminish or potentiate the effects of other treatments, it is advisable that you disclose all of your medical history to your acupuncturist, especially if you’re taking medication or are undergoing other types of treatment, or have recently undergone other treatments, so that any precautions can be made prior to treatment. For more information, send us a message.
Depending on the type of service, total visit time is between 60-90 minutes, with 20-75 minute acupuncture treatment time.
Everyone responds to acupuncture differently but in general the approach we use is so gentle and the acupuncture needles we use are so thin that most people won’t even be aware when the needles are inserted. If they feel anything at all, it may be a slight pinch at the site of needle insertion followed by a brief dull ache that dissipates within seconds. Other common sensations felt during treatment include slight tingling, subtle muscle twitching and spasms, heaviness, extreme relaxation, and warmth in the hands and feet.
Most adults looking for a natural approach to health and overall wellness are candidates for acupuncture. If you have a specific health condition and you’re not sure if acupuncture is right for you, the best way to find out is to request an appointment for an evaluation and consult.
But to help give you an idea, some evidence has shown that acupuncture may be effective for a wide variety of Western-defined disorders and diseases. Reports by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicate acupuncture can be used as effective treatment alone or in combination with conventional therapies in the treatment of many different types of health problems, including:
- Cardiovascular Conditions– stress, essential hypertension
- Eye, Ear, Nose & Mouth Conditions– acute conjunctivitis, toothaches, post extraction pain, gingivitis, pharyngitis
- Gastrointestinal Conditions– spasms of esophagus, irritable bowel, colitis, gastroptosis, gastritis, gastric hyperacidity (i.e. acid reflux), duodenal ulcer (pain relief and without complication), constipation, diarrhea
- Gynecological Conditions– infertility, PMS, dysmenorrhea, menopause syndrome, benign irregular menstruation and amenorrhea
- Hormonal imbalances– metabolic syndrome, diabetes and pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia
- Immune disorders– seasonal/perennial allergies, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, autoimmune conditions, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, low immunity
- Musculo-skeletal Conditions– muscle pain, swelling, stiffness and weakness, localized traumatic injuries, sprains, strains, tendinitis, contractures, arthritis, fibromyalgia, work and sports related injuries, low back and/or neck strain, osteoarthritis, tendinitis (ie “frozen shoulder”, “tennis elbow”, etc), sciatica
- Neurological Conditions– headache and migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, facial palsy (early stage, within three to six months), paresis following stroke, peripheral neuropathy, Meniere’s disease, neuralgia, disc problems, post-operative pain, Parkinson’s disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Psychological Conditions– stress, depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, insomnia
- Respiratory System Conditions– acute sinusitis and rhinitis, common cold and allergies, tonsillitis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, respiratory infections
- Skin Conditions– acne, dermatitis, eczema, hives, pimples and zits, rash
- Other Conditions– addictions, withdrawal from alcohol, and recreational and pharmacological drugs, appetite suppression, obesity, infections
