If you are involved in a work-related incident, and you have a statutory claim with WorkCover Queensland (“WorkCover”), then funding for acupuncture may be available to you.
WorkCover now accepts the services of a Chinese Medicine Practitioner for acupuncture. Further information can be found on WorkCover Queensland’s website by clicking here.
I am pleased to say that I satisfy the criteria to provide acupuncture under WorkCover:
√ Registered with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia;
√ Registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency; and
√ Registered with WorkCover as an allied health provider.
Evidence shows that acupuncture is effective for a wide range of injuries (some of which can occur as a result of a work place incident; or as a result of a motor vehicle accident going to or from work) such as:
• Neck painHeadaches (tension-type and chronic)
• Chronic and acute low back pain
• Sciatica
• Shoulder pain
• Knee osteoarthritis
• Postoperative pain (i.e. motor vehicle accident injuries treated surgically)
• Elbow pain
• Plantar heel pain
(This list is taken from The Acupuncture Evidence Project by John McDonald & Stephen Janz)
As an allied health provider registered with WorkCover, I am expected to play a vital role in helping you return to work after an injury.
Here is a step-by-step process on how to obtain WorkCover funding for acupuncture:
You must have a current medical certificate, and have been referred to acupuncture, by your treating doctor (If you are interested in acupuncture but do not yet have a referral, feel free to contact me to discuss how acupuncture might benefit your return-to-work rehabilitation needs).
Contact your WorkCover claims handler to let them know you have a referral to acupuncture and ensure that WorkCover approve the initial consultation.Contact your chosen acupuncturist to make an appointment for the initial consultation. Have your WorkCover claim number handy so that you can quote this to your acupuncturist upon making the appointment.Bring a copy of the referral when you attend your initial consultation. At the conclusion, your acupuncturist will provide WorkCover with results of the initial assessment and recommendations for further treatment.
If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, and you have a personal injuries claim against the CTP insurer of the at-fault vehicle, then funding for acupuncture may be available to you.
Here is a step-by-step process on how to obtain funding from the CTP insurer for acupuncture:
1. It is recommended that you obtain a referral to acupuncture from your doctor.
• Note: It is not essential to have a referral, however it does make the approval process a lot easier.
• Basically, if the CTP insurer is satisfied that the proposed treatment is ‘reasonable and appropriate’, then it will likely approve funding. For a list of factors that the CTP insurer considers when making a funding decision, click here (refer page 8).
• If you are interested in acupuncture but do not have a referral, feel free to contact me to discuss how acupuncture might benefit your rehabilitation needs and options for payment (eg private health funding). As for whether such costs are claimable in your personal injuries claim, then this is a matter to discuss with your legal practitioner.
2. If you have a referral, then you or your legal representative can contact your CTP insurer to request funding for the initial consultation.
3. Contact your chosen acupuncturist to make an appointment for the initial consultation. Have the name of your CTP insurer and your CTP claim number handy so that you can quote this to your acupuncturist upon making the appointment.
4. Bring a copy of the referral (if you have one) when you attend your initial consultation. At the conclusion, your acupuncturist will provide the CTP insurer with results of the initial assessment and a proposed treatment plan.