Sliding Scale Guidelines for our $30-$50 Community Acupuncture Treatments

Boston Acupuncture Project builds community by providing widely accessible and affordable acupuncture. Boston Acupuncture Project is here for you – and thanks to you. But what does the “sliding scale” really mean?

We need to average $40 per visit.

We want to keep our sliding scale at $30-$60 for as long as possible. In order to continue to stay open and provide treatments, our clinic needs to average $40 per visit. (This assumes we’re averaging 50 visits per week.) This is a literal average – every dollar counts! But to keep it simple, let’s break it into 3 tiers:

When you pay . . . . $50 or more: it helps us keep the low end at $30, save, grow. $40: sustainer rate - keeps BAP going! $30: makes it possible for more people (YOU) to get acupuncture!

Paying $50 or more helps us keep the low end of the sliding scale at $30, save for emergencies, and potentially even grow to have more open hours, more programs, and more staff.

Paying $40 helps sustain Boston Acupuncture Project financially. Thank you! This is the average payment we need to keep things running, assuming enough people are coming in.

If you are only able to pay $30, thank you so much – please keep paying $30 per visit.

If you need to pay $30, we want you to pay $30.

No matter how much you pay, we want you to be able to get as much acupuncture as you need to see a real difference in your health concerns. Not only does your life improve, but then you can tell other people about how acupuncture helped you! And that helps us reach more new patients, and fulfill our mission.

So, if paying more than $30 would prevent you from getting as much acupuncture as you need, we do not want you to pay more than $30. We want you to get enough acupuncture. There are also plenty of ways you can help BAP keep our doors open that are not paying more on the sliding scale, if you’re interested!

If $30 puts acupuncture out of reach for you

If you are not able to pay $30 per visit, please talk to your acupuncturist! Generous community members who love getting acupuncture at BAP donate Pay It Forward treatments for neighbors unable to pay $30. (If you would like to donate a Pay It Forward treatment, please click here to visit our donation page.)

We want you to know that every dollar counts.

If you are able, paying above $30 makes a real difference for us.

We are counting on you to ask yourself the question. We can’t stay open if we can’t meet our financial obligations.

How do I know how much I can pay?

This is very personal. Below is one framework for thinking about where you might fall on our sliding scale. Thanks for being thoughtful!

3 bottles under a heading The Green Bottle - where you fall on the sliding scale. Vertical axis is labeled financial privilege - how full the bottles are. Horizontal axis is labeled Personal Financial Experience - what you experience inside each bottle. Bottle on left is full. It says: I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic needs; I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs; I own my home OR I rent a higher end property; I own or lease a car; I am employed OR do not need to work to meet my needs; I have regular access to health care and financial savings; I have expendable income; I can always buy new items; I can afford time off or a vacation. Middle bottle is half full. It says: I may stress about meeting my basic needs but still regularly achieve them; I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs; I own or lease a car; I am employed; I have access to health care; I might have access to financial savings; I have some expendable income; I am able to buy some new items and thrift others; I can take a vacation annually or every few years without financial burden. Bottle on the right has very little and says: I frequently stress about meeting my basic needs and don't always achieve them; I have debt and sometimes it prohibits me from meeting my basic needs; I rent lower-end properties or have unstable housing; I do not have a car and/or have limited access to a car but am not always able to afford gas; I am unemployed or underemployed; I qualify for government assistance including food stamps and health care; I have no or very limited expendable income; I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them; I cannot afford a vacation or have the ability to take time off without financial burden. Bottom says that Basic Needs include food, housing, and transportation. Expendable income means you are able to buy a coffee, go to the movies or a concert, buy a new book or clothing or similar items every month, etc. Designed by Alexis J. Cunningfolk at WortsAndCunning.com

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