Billing & Insurance FAQs

The Osher Center for Integrative Health at Vanderbilt is an outpatient department of VUMC. We bill under Vanderbilt Medical Group. Any insurance that is in-network with VUMC is in-network with our center.

The way medical facilities determine prices is extremely complicated. Our fees are reviewed annually as we strive to charge a reasonable rate for services while at the same time ensuring we cover the costs associated with operating the region’s only high level Trauma Center as well as the highest level intensive care unit for babies.

One bill, the professional fee, is for the services rendered by the provider. The other bill, the facility fee, is for the cost of the facility, staff, supplies, etc.

The Osher Center is a hospital-based clinic. Your provider is an employee of the hospital. She/he does not own the clinic, employ the staff nor have the responsibility for the overhead. All of that is provided by the hospital, this way your doctor is able to concentrate on giving you the best care possible. The bill from the hospital helps to cover those costs.

The main difference is focused on the primary concern for which you are being treated (which is reflected in the diagnosis). Health and Behavior codes are billed when the primary reason for seeing the health psychologist or social worker is mental health and coping related to a medical issue (like chronic pain). Behavioral Health diagnoses and codes are used when the primary reason for seeing the health psychologist or social worker is a mental health problem (like depression or anxiety).

Currently, acupuncture is offered as a retail service not a billable service at the Osher Center. As such, we cannot bill insurance directly. We are happy to supply you with paperwork that you can submit to your insurance carrier for reimbursement. This paperwork

Yes, Medicare Part B typically covers acupuncture for a diagnosis of chronic low back pain. This coverage includes up to 12 sessions within a 90-day period, with the possibility of additional sessions if there's improvement. Medicare also covers up to 20 acupuncture treatments annually.

If a patient does not meet this criteria, acupuncture is considered retail. We can supply a receipt and superbill for patients to submit for reimbursement from their insurance.

Massage Therapy is not billable to insurance. Patients may use HSA/FSA if it meets their plan's criteria.

Yes, you can use your HSA/FSA card for any services at our center. Generally, services must qualify as "medical necessity" to be reimbursed. We can supply the necessary information for that when the treatment is part of your medical plan.

Our retail movement therapies are paid for using Eventbrite. Many HSA/FSA cards will not work on this website. If movement therapies are part of your medical plan and qualify for reimbursement, you can pay up front and then submit the receipt for reimbursement through your HSA/FSA.

With a patient referral to our center, we do accept patients on VUMC approved financial aid with prior approval. VUMC Financial Aid does not cover retail expenses and can only be applied to services billable to insurance.

If you have billing concerns regarding claims/charges for the Osher Center, you can contact our office at (615) 343-1554. We cannot advise on claims for any other department at VUMC, in which case please contact VUMC Billing.