[INSERT DATE]
Greetings,
I am writing you today because I would like naturopathic doctors (NDs) to be covered through our
company’s health insurance plans.
Naturopathic doctors are trained, licensed and credentialed as primary care doctors in California. They
emphasize prevention and personalized treatment, and use the same CPT codes for insurance billing
purposes as other primary care doctors. I would like my health insurance plan to treat visits to a
naturopathic doctor the same as visits to any other licensed primary care doctor in California, and cover
the same services – not new services – that are currently covered during visits to a medical doctor (MD)
or doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO).
Attached is a series of documents that summarize the existing research on the effectiveness of
naturopathic medicine in treating chronic diseases, the cost effectiveness of naturopathic medicine
compared to common conventional treatments and patient satisfaction with naturopathic doctors. There
is also information on what services NDs are licensed to perform in our state, CPT codes they use, and
the national safety record of practicing NDs. If you have any questions when reviewing these materials
or would like additional information, you may contact the California Naturopathic Doctors Association
(contact information below).
Other California companies have successfully contracted with their health insurance carriers to cover
naturopathic doctors in-network. Notable examples include Parker-Hannifin, a global engineering
company with several locations in southern and northern California, and Providence Health & Services,
a hospital and physician group that employs nearly 8000 southern Californians.
Furthermore, major insurance carriers in eight states currently cover naturopathic doctors:
State
Insurance Carriers1
Alaska
Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Premera, United Healthcare, +
Arizona
Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, Lumenos, United Healthcare
Connecticut
Aetna, Anthem, Connecticare, United/Oxford, Cigna, Healthnet, +
Maine
Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, +
Montana
Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Children’s Health Insurance Plan, Allegiance Healthcare, New West
Health Insurance, Montana Association of Counties, Great West, MUST +
Oregon
Medicaid, Aetna, ASHN, Assurant, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Care Oregon, CHP, Cigna,
Family Care, Great West, Health Net, Kaiser, Lifewise, My Optum, Open Card, Pacificare,
Pacific Source, Providence, Regence, Reliant Behavioral Health, United Healthcare, +
Vermont
Medicaid, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Catamount, Dr. Dynasaur, MVP Health Care,
Vermont Managed Care, VHAP, +
Washington
Aetna, Blue Shield/Blue Cross, CIGNA, First Choice, Group Health, Uniform Medical, United
Healthcare, Pacificare , +
For more information, please visit http://www.calnd.org/employers. You may also contact the CNDA at
any time with questions: (310) 670-8100 or coordinator@calnd.org.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Phone number and/or email address]
1
Coverage for Naturopathic Services. American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, 2012.