B.C. first to cover acupuncture for low-income residents

Low-income British Columbians will receive some added pain relief as the B.C. government becomes the first in Canada Tuesday to include registered acupuncturists under its Medical Services Plan premium-assistance program.

About 963,500 British Columbians living in households earning a combined $28,000 or less a year - including welfare recipients, students, the disabled, and seniors - are covered by the supplementary benefit.

The government estimates about two per cent of that population will initially use the treatment at a cost to the taxpayer, based on an average of five visits, of about $2.2 million.