QUESTION: Who’s charged a fee for acupuncture at our clinic? Who is exempt?

ANSWER: While we do have Page on this website  called cost , which you should read, the fact that you are asking this question likely relates to being asked to pay a fee when you have already been under the impression that you are exempt. (Or you may be a clinician wondering why your patient has been asked about paying.)

As we have charged fees and continue to charge fees for a portion of the people who attend - and as some people have supplemental health care insurance that covers exactly what we provide in acupuncture (e.g. the federal government's Sun Life - administered insurance) our office has been asking each new client about payment for as long as we have operated. Regardless of where you come from, if you have this health care insurance, we expect you to use it to pay our fee.

On the other hand, when Dr. Bailey joined the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) which is administered for Ottawa at the South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre, (SEOCHC) and this means that we provide the program "on air" - as interactive television, hosted by Dr. Bailey using SEOCHC’s broadcast studios.

When services are provided this way, Dr. Bailey receives a bonus, and uses this extra revenue to offset the costs of hiring a facilitator who is licensed to provide acupuncture. Licensing to provide AcuDetox acupuncture in Ontario is sanctioned by Ontario Bill 50, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Act, and the certificate is called Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist (ADS.)

With this extra revenue, and with the generous help provided by South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre in getting our program up and running, we are able to exempt patients who are on the clinical roster of SEOCHC.  One can’t just walk in and join up. There is a waiting list and a specific catchment area around the Centre from which it draws patients. But this exemption will also apply if the patient is a rostered patient of one of the other CHC's in the city, and if one is receiving ODSP.

Don't be surprised if you're asked about payment when you call our office. It's not always apparent to our office manager from the initial information we start from who is exempt and who is not.

Sometimes we just have to ask you to find out. Once we know we won't ask you again. If you have been told that you will be exempt chances are almost 100% that this will be correct. We hope you are not offended by being asked, as many of our patients are still paying a fee. We apologize if this has inconvenienced or upset you in any way.