What to ask your insurer

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine recommends asking the following questions of your insurance provider before seeking alternative or complementary treatments:

Is this treatment covered for my specific health condition?

Does this treatment need to be preauthorized, preapproved or ordered by a prescription?

Do I need a referral from my primary care provider?

Do I have to see a practitioner that is part of my network for the service to be covered?

Is there any coverage for out-of-network providers for this service?

Are there any limits I should know about, such as a restriction on the number of visits that are covered?

How much will I have to pay out of pocket?

—Tammy Worth