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Case Study

Free Acupuncture Treatments For Veterans Through The Veterans Choice Program

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Did you know if you served in the military and you now qualify for medical coverage through the department of Veterans Affairs that you also qualify for free acupuncture treatments through the Veterans Choice Program??

The Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, also called the Veterans Choice Act, is a public law that provides funding for veterans so they may seek treatment outside of the VA. The law stipulates you must live 40 miles away from the nearest VA hospital or be unable to get an appointment within 30 days. However, because there are no acupuncturists currently working at the VA everyone who qualifies for medical coverage through the department of Veterans Affairs automatically qualifies for Free Acupuncture treatments through the Veterans Choice Program. Our office is actually located just a couple miles from the VA in La Jolla and I treat retired military through the Veterans Choice Program daily.

In order to get the Veterans Choice Program to cover your acupuncture treatments first you must call 866-606-8198 to verify your coverage and setup an appointment or you can visit your VA doctor and tell them you would like a referral to receive acupuncture treatments through the Veterans Choice Program. Once you’re given the go ahead to receive acupuncture coverage, if you’re located in San Diego make sure you request San Diego Sports Acupuncture as your provider! Currently the VA considers acupuncture effective for and the Veterans Choice Program will cover acupuncture when it is used for the following conditions:

  • Pain associated with an illness or injury

  • Nausea and Vomiting after an operation

  • Nausea and Vomiting related to chemotherapy

  • Knee Pain from Osteoarthritis

  • Low Back Pain

  • Depression or other Mental Health concerns

  • Substance dependency

As the grandson of two former Navy Commanders who served in Vietnam and a San Diego native it is my absolute honor and pleasure to help our veterans with any and all ailments they may have. Most people who know me don’t know that before I was accepted to UCSD I was sworn into the Army and was prepared to leave as an Army Infantryman. After I received my acceptance letter from UCSD, the only college who admitted me of the 3 that I applied to, I talked to a good friend of mine from High School who had already been enlisted for a couple years. He said it was bad timing to join and recommended that I go to college instead. His advice turned out to be prescient as 9/11 happened just a couple weeks into my Freshman year at UCSD shaping the face of our Nation and the world around us. Seventeen year-old me literally and figuratively dodged a bullet with that one decision, but I am grateful that I now find myself in a position to give back to those who served in my absence. If you’re reading this and you feel like you need help, but you're not sure what I can do, please hit the "contact" button in the corner of the website and send me your questions. As always, I'm happy to help however I can.

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