What is a sliding scale payment model?

For a lot of our patients, the concept of sliding scale is new or even confusing. Some people have heard of sliding scale, but have never experienced it or benefited from it. We took the opportunity to explain our sliding scale and the reasons why this payment model is so important. 

A sliding scale fee structure, sometimes referred to as ‘pay what you can’, takes on many different forms but is always intended to encourage financial freedom. Typically sliding scale is based on income, you bring in a pay stub and a sliding scale is determined for you based on what you earn. 

At Milwaukee Community Acupuncture, our sliding scale, $15-40 per treatment, is based on what you can afford to pay that day- no income verification required.

Our mission is to provide as much affordable acupuncture to everyone in our community, regardless of income. Acupuncture works best when it is used often, and the way that private acupuncture is structured makes that difficult. Insurance coverage for acupuncture is minimal, and unless you are fortunate enough to have insurance coverage, we have created a space where acupuncture is the price of a co-pay. 

Why do we offer sliding scale? We believe that everyone should be able to to access acupuncture, it’s not reserved exclusively for the wealthy or those who are ‘lucky’ enough to have acupuncture insurance coverage. We also believe in liberating our patients from the hassle and headache of insurance and want to provide an affordable service that is of high quality for anyone who seeks it out. 

All of the practitioners at MCA are committed to social justice and trying to make our world a better place; we are lucky enough to practice acupuncture in a way that resonates with our moral code and allows us to earn a living wage. For us, offering sliding scale community acupuncture is how we can accomplish these goals. That being said, MCA is a non-profit and relies solely on the fees for service from our community to keep this business model afloat.  

Community acupuncture is a concept that is as old as acupuncture itself; in order to treat the masses in China acupuncturists would treat as many people as they could fit in a room. Acupuncture is, and always has been, the people’s medicine. Passed on through familial lineage and through oral tradition, acupuncture in China was practiced by the ‘barefoot’ doctors roaming from village to village being paid in produce and chickens. We want to ensure that acupuncture remains medicine for the masses and to preserve the heritage of accessibility for everyone. Please join us in our mission, and thank you for your continued support.