“I need to see a healthcare provider, but they don’t take my insurance.” “I could really use a massage, but it’s not in my budget.” “I’d love to take-up yoga, but I can’t afford to until I’m done with school.” Unfortunately, statements like these are made all too often as healthcare and wellness take the back burner to other pressing financial responsibilities. Luckily, there are many places throughout Maine offering creative and affordable ways to ensure you can always take care of your health.
Bartering & “Paying it Forward”
How would you like to pay for healthcare while keeping actual currency completely out of the equation? Well you can with good ol’ fashioned bartering. Through Hour Exchange Portland (HEP) people can pay for doctor’s appointments and wellness services with “time dollars.” Members of HEP earn time dollars by providing a service to someone; for every hour they spend helping someone, they earn an hour that they can use for any number of services within the network. Over the years, HEP has allowed people to receive over 25,000 hours of free healthcare. True North in Falmouth has been seeing patients for time dollars since they opened in 2002, and has gotten national press (like CBS news and NPR) for this innovative concept. Turn the Tide Health Collaborative is a network of practitioners in Greater Portland who will see patients in exchange for them doing community service or providing a service to another person (including through HEP). Many individual health care providers also participate in Hour Exchange Portland; ask your practitioners if they accept time dollars, or look at the HEP directory for a list of those who do. If you’re in the Midcoast area, the website for Midcoast Barter could be a great way to seek out or offer your own wellness services.
Teacher Training Discounted Classes
Yoga, Pilates and other fitness studios often offer discounted or free classes taught by instructors-in-training. This is a win-win, as the trainees get hands-on practice, and students have a more affordable option for working exercise classes into their budgets. For example, Portland Power Yoga, Greener Postures*, and Springboard Pilates* regularly offer discounted classes through their teacher training programs.
Student Clinics
Along the same lines, wellness schools (e.g. massage, energy medicine, spa services, etc.) often have clinics where students can log practice hours and recipients in turn enjoy discounted treatments. For example, Spa Tech in Westbrook offers clinics in massage, polarity, aesthetics, and cosmetology, while Downeast School of Massage in Waldoboro offers appointments with student massage therapists for a suggested donation.
Community Acupuncture
Community Acupuncture clinics are springing up around the country, with the mission of increasing affordability and accessibility of acupuncture treatments. Community Acupuncture Clinics offer group treatment sessions (typically there are several people in one room receiving treatment simultaneously) on a sliding scale of $15-$50. People choose to pay whatever they can afford within the price range of the particular clinic, but the low-end of the range will never be greater than $20. There are several Community Acupuncture clinics in Maine, including Wildwood Medicine* and Maine Center for Acupuncture in Portland, Life Ideals in Lewiston, and DownEast Community Acupuncture near Bucksport.
Donations and Discounts
Some places offer services on a donation-only basis. For example, every yoga class at Yogave in Falmouth is donation-based. Also, Soma Massage & Wellness in South Portland offers donation-based classes. Similarly, many places will work with you and your budget and can offer special payment options; like Acupuncture by Meret, which offers a hardship rate for qualifying persons with a financial hardship. It never hurts to ask your health care provider if they’re willing to make special arrangements. And lastly, don’t forget about discounts! Many places will offer discounts to seniors, students, and certain professionals. Always check with studios to see if they offer similar discounts. Additionally, some fitness studios offer discounted (or sometimes free!) introductory classes, in order for you to try their classes and offerings. The Yoga Center* in Portland, Reve Cycling Studio*, and Wholeheart Yoga Center* are just a few places in the area that offer reduced rates on introductory classes. (Note: some studios only offer discounts at certain times, so be sure to call or check their website for current available offers.)
SunriseGuide Coupons
The Health chapter of the SunriseGuide is consistently one of the largest sections in the book. With the plethora of coupons you’ll find there, you’ll never be short on affordable options for massage, acupuncture, yoga, and so much more!
*Has a coupon in the 2014 edition of the SunriseGuide.
The businesses listed in this article are intended to provide examples of such services, and is by no means a complete list of what’s available in Maine. Please inquire with studios, clinics, and practices in your area to learn whether they offer any of the options listed.
