Isaura Altamirano
Acupuncturist, co-founder
- Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) · KS License no. 000000
Speaks Spanish and English. Answers most of the calls and texts.
Olathe, Kansas
Acupuncture in a shared room, in English and Spanish
Sala is a community acupuncture collective: five licensed acupuncturists, one room of recliners and fees you choose within a range. Three of us speak Spanish.
The room
One room, five of us and a lot of blankets
In community acupuncture, several people are treated at once in one quiet room, each in a reclining chair with a blanket and with their clothes on. Your acupuncturist places a few fine needles at points on your hands, forearms, feet and lower legs, and you rest. Sharing the room is what lets us keep visits within reach of more neighbors.
In the room
Reclining chairs, quilts and low light
Treatment with your clothes on
A short talk first, at the side of the room
Someone checks on you through the hour
Before you come
What to wear and bring
A short list, and nothing fancy.
Loose sleeves and pant legs
Most points are below the elbow and the knee. Wear something that rolls up, and keep your clothes on.
Something to eat first
Come with a little food in you: not hungry and not stuffed.
A list of what you take
Medicines, vitamins and herbs, on paper or on your phone. Bring it even if it seems small.
Your questions, in either language
Ask the front desk or any of us. We can book you with an acupuncturist who speaks Spanish.
How fees work
You choose an amount that fits your month, within a range the front desk explains before your first visit.
Insurance we work with
We don't bill health plans, so there are no claims and no paperwork on your side of the front desk. Everyone pays by the same pay-what-you-can scale, whatever plan they have or don't have.
If you pay yourself
Everyone pays what they can, within a range the front desk explains by phone, text or in person before your first visit. You choose the amount that fits your month, and you pay when you leave by cash, check or card. HSA and FSA cards can often be used: ask your plan administrator.
The same range for a first visit and every visit after it
Nobody asks for proof of income
Choose a different amount next month if your month changes
Receipts for reimbursement
If you want to ask your plan to reimburse acupuncture, we give you an itemized receipt, called a superbill, after every visit. Your plan decides what it pays. Before you send it, ask your plan:
Is there an acupuncture benefit?
How many visits does it allow?
Is there a copay or a deductible?
Do I need a referral?
An estimate in advance
If you pay without insurance, you can ask for a good faith estimate in writing before your visit. Ask for it when you book. If a bill ever comes to $400 or more above your estimate, you can dispute it.
Checking your benefits
Because we don't bill plans, there are no benefits for us to check. If you plan to send a receipt to your plan, call it before your first visit and ask the questions above.
What the first visit includes
A first visit takes about an hour and a quarter in the recliner room: a short talk with an acupuncturist, then treatment while you rest. It follows the same pay-what-you-can scale as every visit after it.
Who comes
Neighbors from Olathe and the towns around it
Most people live within a few miles. If you are farther out, come once and see how it feels.
Close by
- Olathe
- Gardner
- Edgerton
A short drive
- Spring Hill
- De Soto
- Paola
- Louisburg
Coming from farther? Call us and we will tell you which days are quieter.
The collective
Who will see you
Every acupuncturist here is licensed in Kansas, and each license is listed at the bottom of every page. Three of us speak Spanish and English.
Rogelio Caballero
Acupuncturist, co-founder
- Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) · KS License no. 000000
Speaks Spanish and English. Explains each step before he begins.
Yaretzi Luevano
Acupuncturist
- Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) · KS License no. 000000
Speaks Spanish and English. Often the one who sets up the room in the morning.
Patsy Dent
Acupuncturist
- Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) · KS License no. 000000
Speaks English. Checks in on everyone in the room through the hour.
DeAndre Majors
Acupuncturist
- Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) · KS License no. 000000
Speaks English. Glad to answer your questions about needles before you decide.
Questions people ask first
Does it hurt?
Most people feel a quick pinch, a dull ache or a heavy, warm feeling, and some feel nothing at the point. The needles are much thinner than the ones used for shots. If anything feels like too much, tell us and we will adjust or stop.
Are the needles clean?
Yes. We use sterile needles from sealed packs, open each pack in front of you and use each needle once. Used needles go into a sharps container. Every treatment has risks. Yours are small, and your acupuncturist explains them before the first needle: soreness, light bruising, feeling light-headed and, rarely, bleeding or infection.
What if I can't pay the top of the range?
Tell the front desk. The range is a range, not a wall: choose the amount that works this month and change it next month. Nobody asks for proof of income.
Can I come in Spanish?
Yes. Isaura, Rogelio and Yaretzi speak Spanish and English. Tell us your preference when you book and we will schedule you with one of them. The front desk answers calls, texts and WhatsApp messages in both languages.
Will I have to stop my medicine?
No. Keep taking everything your prescriber gave you, and tell us everything you take, including vitamins and herbs. Acupuncture works alongside your doctor's care, never in place of it.
How many visits will I need?
Your acupuncturist suggests a plan at your first visit, for example visits close together at first and then fewer. It is a suggestion, not a promise, and results vary. You can change the plan or stop at any time.
Come and see the room
Call, text, WhatsApp or send a note. We answer in English or Spanish.