Acupuncture and auto claims, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Hurt in a crash? Know each step before you book
Three registered acupuncturists on Plainfield Avenue. We lay out what to bring, what we bill and what your auto insurer decides, so your visit can be about you.
Who you will see
Registrations and languages
Michigan registers acupuncturists, and each registration is listed at the bottom of every page. Ask us about each acupuncturist's national credential when you book.
State registrations
Shirley Nakamura, Registered Acupuncturist
MI Registration no. 000000 · Michigan Board of Acupuncture, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Allows the holder to practice acupuncture in Michigan
Keith Aylward, Registered Acupuncturist
MI Registration no. 000000 · Michigan Board of Acupuncture, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Allows the holder to practice acupuncture in Michigan
Ursula Godinez, Registered Acupuncturist
MI Registration no. 000000 · Michigan Board of Acupuncture, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Allows the holder to practice acupuncture in Michigan
National certification
Diplomate of Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.), NCBAHM, formerly NCCAOM
Ask your acupuncturist whether they hold it
Languages
English
All three acupuncturists
Spanish
Ursula Godinez
Claim steps
From the crash to the claim, in six steps
What to bring, what we bill and what the insurer decides, in the order it happens.
- 01
Step 1: Get checked first
If you were in a crash, see a doctor or urgent care before anything else. Acupuncture works alongside that care, never in place of it.
- 02
Step 2: Bring what we ask for
Your claim number, the adjuster's name and phone, the date of the crash and a photo ID. No claim yet? Come anyway and tell us where things stand.
- 03
Step 3: Your first visit
About 75 minutes: a conversation, a look at the sore areas, a treatment and a plan. We write notes on what you told us and what we did.
- 04
Step 4: What we bill
After each visit we send an itemized bill to whoever you've told us is paying. It lists the visit and what we did. We don't tell the insurer what to pay.
- 05
Step 5: What the insurer decides
Whether to pay, how much, and whether to ask for records. Their decision follows your policy and Michigan's rules. If they ask us for notes, we send them.
- 06
Step 6: If a bill isn't paid
We tell you, and you decide what to do next: talk with your claim representative or your attorney. You can ask us for a copy of your records at any time.
Who pays
Who we bill, and who decides
Three ways people pay for visits after a crash. We can do any of them, and we write down which one you chose.
| Auto insurer | Health plan | Paying yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who we send the bill to | Auto insurerThe auto insurer on your crash claim | Health planNobody directly: we give you a receipt | Paying yourselfNobody: you pay at the visit |
| Who decides what is paid | Auto insurerThe insurer, under your policy and Michigan's rules | Health planYour plan, under its benefits | Paying yourselfYou do: nobody approves it |
| What you give us | Auto insurerYour claim number and the adjuster's contact | Health planNothing before the visit | Paying yourselfNothing before the visit |
| What we send afterward | Auto insurerItemized bills and, if asked, our visit notes | Health planAn itemized receipt for you to send in | Paying yourselfAn itemized receipt for your records |
| What to ask first | Auto insurerIs acupuncture covered on my claim, and do you need a doctor's referral? | Health planIs there an acupuncture benefit, and how many visits? | Paying yourselfAsk us for a written estimate |
Your first visit
An hour and a quarter, then a plan you can follow
A first visit is a conversation, a careful look at the areas that hurt since the crash, a treatment and a plan for what comes next. Needles are fine, single-use and much thinner than the ones used for injections. You stay clothed in loose clothes, and you can ask us to stop at any point.
Wear loose clothes you can roll up at the knee and elbow
Bring your claim paperwork, if you have it
Tell us about any medicines and about your doctor's advice
What people ask before booking
Does my car insurance pay for acupuncture?
It depends on your policy and your claim, and the insurer decides. Ask your claim representative whether acupuncture is covered on your claim. The front desk can tell you what insurers usually ask us for.
Do I need a doctor's note?
Some insurers ask for a doctor's referral or prescription before they pay for acupuncture. Ask your claim representative, and tell us what they say. You don't need one to book with us.
Will you handle my claim?
No. You deal with your insurer. We keep our own records, send itemized bills to whoever is paying and send our visit notes when the insurer asks for them.
What if the insurer says no?
Then you decide what to do next. You can talk with your claim representative or your attorney, keep coming and pay yourself, or stop. We give you receipts and a copy of your records any time you ask.
Does it hurt?
Most people feel a brief pressure or a dull ache where a needle goes in, and many feel nothing. Tell us if anything is too much and we adjust or stop.
Should I see a doctor first?
Yes, if you haven't been checked since the crash. Numbness, weakness, a severe headache or trouble with your bladder or bowels need a doctor or the emergency room, not acupuncture. For an emergency, call 911.
Request a visit
Tell us how to reach you and when suits you. We call back during office hours.
- Monday – ThursdayToday
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- FridayToday
- 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- SundayToday
- Closed