In many cases, insurance dictates treatment options. For instance, this means that despite what the doctor may think is the best course of therapy for your health concern, insurance will only cover specific treatment approaches. An example of this is chronic back pain. Although there is an abundance of research supporting the efficacy of acupuncture in alleviating back pain, a person’s insurance may not cover this as an approved form of treatment for back pain. Therefore, insurance may cover medications like muscle relaxers, opioids, and perhaps a cortisone injection, none of which resolve the pain long term, and all have side effects, including dependency and joint degeneration. In short, options for treatment are limited based on what a particular insurance company decides they will pay for.