Frequently Asked Questions

Many workplace and private Extended Health Benefits plans may include acupuncture. Apollo Wellness offers Direct Billing for Extended Health Benefits. Where supported, available benefit and coverage information can be checked through the claims system. Actual coverage still depends on your individual plan and the benefits available at the time of treatment.

Yes. Apollo Wellness offers Direct Billing for Extended Health Benefits for participating plans, and claims may be submitted through TELUS Health eClaims when applicable. Where supported, the claims system can check available benefit and coverage information. What the system shows can vary by insurer and plan; it does not always display an exact remaining annual balance. See the participating insurers list on the Services page.

You remain responsible for any portion not covered or not paid by your insurer, including deductibles, co-payments, or fees outside your plan benefits.

Referral requirements depend on your individual insurance plan, not on Apollo Wellness alone. Some plans require a referral; others do not. If your plan documents are unclear about referrals, your insurer can clarify that requirement.

MSP Supplementary Benefits is available only to eligible British Columbia residents who qualify under official MSP rules (for example, income-based eligibility or other listed qualifying categories)—not to every MSP enrollee. For eligible beneficiaries, MSP currently contributes $23 per eligible visit toward approved supplementary services, including acupuncture. Acupuncture shares a combined annual limit of 10 visits per calendar year with other listed supplementary services such as chiropractic, massage therapy, naturopathy, physical therapy, and non-surgical podiatry. Clinic fees are often higher than the MSP contribution, so patients may need to pay the remaining treatment fee. Eligibility and remaining visit benefits must be confirmed for your situation; coverage details follow current BC MSP rules and can change.

Yes. Apollo Wellness participates in the ICBC Recovery Network. For eligible motor-vehicle-accident recovery care, the clinic lists ICBC-covered visit options (for example, an initial acupuncture visit of about 90 minutes and a standard acupuncture treatment of about 75 minutes) on the Booking and Services fee information. ICBC Recovery Network care is a separate channel from Extended Health direct billing and from MSP Supplementary Benefits. Eligibility and claim details depend on ICBC rules and your individual claim status.

Sensation varies from person to person. Some people notice little more than light pressure; others feel a brief pinch or a dull ache at certain points. Apollo Wellness uses a gentle approach and adjusts needle choice and stimulation based on the treatment area, clinical needs, and your comfort.

Please tell your practitioner. Care can be paced gently, and needle-free options such as laser acupuncture may be considered when appropriate for your situation and treatment plan.

Yes. Apollo Wellness uses fine filiform acupuncture needles, including ultra-fine Japanese SEIRIN needles as fine as 0.10 mm when clinically appropriate. Needle size is selected for the treatment area, clinical needs, and patient comfort.

The number varies with each individualized treatment plan. Apollo generally uses a focused approach rather than placing as many needles as possible.

Yes. Tell your practitioner if you are nervous or more sensitive to needling. Technique, stimulation, and needle selection can be adjusted, and needle-free options may be discussed when appropriate.

Laser acupuncture uses low-level laser light to stimulate selected acupuncture points. It is a clinic service offered when appropriate as part of an individualized plan—not the same as general LED or red-light wellness devices.

No. Laser acupuncture does not insert needles. It stimulates points with low-level laser light instead.

It may be considered for people who prefer a non-needle approach or who are particularly sensitive to needles, depending on the individual presentation and treatment plan. Suitability is decided with your practitioner.

Needle acupuncture uses fine filiform needles at selected points. Laser acupuncture stimulates points with low-level laser light and does not use needle insertion. They are different methods; one is not automatically better or equal to the other for every person or every concern. Fees and scheduling for laser visits are listed on Services and Booking.

Laser acupuncture uses low-level laser light without needle insertion. Suitability is assessed individually, and treatment follows applicable manufacturer safety precautions and contraindications. Before treatment, please tell your practitioner about relevant health information, including pregnancy, photosensitivity, eye concerns, or a cardiac pacemaker. For patients with a cardiac pacemaker, the PREMIO 32 EVO manufacturer identifies treatment of the chest/thoracic region as a contraindication. Appropriate eye-safety precautions are also required.

Laser Acupuncture at Apollo Wellness is provided by a registered acupuncture practitioner and may be eligible under acupuncture benefits. Actual coverage depends on your individual plan and the benefits available at the time of treatment. Where eligibility is unclear through the claims system, we recommend confirming coverage before a standalone laser visit. You remain responsible for any portion not covered.

Care is individualized. Your practitioner reviews your concerns and health background, discusses priorities, and recommends a sensible next step. Frequency and duration are adjusted based on how you respond—not a rigid formula. Fees and visit options are listed on the Booking page.

Everyone responds differently. On the Booking page, Apollo notes that acute concerns may shift within about 1–3 visits, while chronic pain, sleep disruption, stress patterns, or deeper functional rebalancing often benefit from a staged series. Suggested reference frames include 4 sessions (foundational balance), 6 sessions (core wellness), and 10 sessions (deeper or longer-term support). These are planning references; your clinician adjusts the actual course to your situation.

Response timing varies. Some people notice a shift soon after a visit; others notice change over several hours, later the same day, or the next day. Improvement timing and degree depend on the individual presentation and how the body responds. Acupuncture is generally approached as a paced process rather than a single guaranteed outcome.

Clinic fee notes describe laser acupuncture as a gentle, cumulative therapy, and multiple sessions are often recommended. Because stimulation differs from needle acupuncture, the plan and number of visits may differ. Suitability and scheduling are decided with your practitioner; see Services and Booking for fees and options.

Your practitioner will review your concerns and health background, discuss priorities, and recommend a sensible next step. New patients may begin with an acupuncture visit, or with a health consult or meridian assessment if more context is helpful before a treatment series.

Visit lengths vary by service. Common adult acupuncture visits are about 60 minutes; longer options (such as 75 or 90 minutes) and shorter senior or pediatric visits are listed on the fees table on the Booking page. Your booking selection shows the scheduled duration.

Wear comfortable clothing that allows access to arms and legs when needed. Eat a light meal beforehand if you tend to feel lightheaded when hungry. Before booking, please tell us if you are pregnant, use a pacemaker, are sensitive to sound, or are mainly seeking support for acute pain, stress, sleep, or fatigue. For insurance questions, see Services → Insurance & Direct Billing, or the Insurance section on this FAQ page.

Apollo Wellness is at Unit 5, 3039 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5R 5J6, on Kingsway in Joyce–Collingwood, within the broader Renfrew–Collingwood area.

Yes. The clinic is on Kingsway near Joyce–Collingwood SkyTrain Station, which many patients use for transit access.

Unit 5 is on the 2nd floor with elevator access. Limited on-site parking is available, with additional street parking nearby.