Legal & Policy
Last Updated: June 22, 2026
The information provided on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
No practitioner-patient relationship. Using this website does not establish a practitioner-patient relationship with Diego Garcia, L.Ac., doing business as Gateway Acupuncture & Alchemy. By accessing this website, you acknowledge that you are seeking information for educational purposes only and are not establishing a practitioner-patient relationship.
Business structure. Gateway Acupuncture & Alchemy is a fictitious business name (DBA) registered to Diego Garcia, L.Ac., operating as a sole proprietorship. References to "Gateway Acupuncture & Alchemy," "Gateway," "we," "us," or "our" on this website refer to Diego Garcia, L.Ac., individually.
Limitation of liability. The website and its content are provided on an "as is" basis. Diego Garcia, L.Ac., doing business as Gateway Acupuncture & Alchemy, makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of this website or the information, content, materials, or services included on this website. To the full extent permissible by applicable law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
In no event shall Diego Garcia, L.Ac., doing business as Gateway Acupuncture & Alchemy, be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this website, including but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages.
A full standalone privacy policy is available at Privacy Policy. The summary below describes our current data practices.
This website (www.gatewayacu.com) runs no analytics or tracking of its own and sets no tracking cookies; it stores one small local setting so it can remember you dismissed the cookie notice. Pages with a booking button embed a third-party scheduling tool (Breely); if you use it to book, the details you enter are handled by that provider to schedule your appointment, not stored by this site.
If you use the phone, text, or email links on this site, your communication is handled directly between you and Diego Garcia, L.Ac. Those communications are governed by your carrier's or email provider's privacy policy, not this website.
This site loads fonts from the Google Fonts API, embeds the Breely booking tool on pages with a booking button, and links to Constant Contact for newsletter sign-ups. Each is governed by its own privacy policy and may set its own cookies.
As a licensed healthcare provider, Gateway Acupuncture & Alchemy maintains a HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices governing protected health information. You will receive this notice at your first visit. Patient health records are not collected through this website.
If you are a California resident with questions about personal information held about you as a patient (not a website visitor), please contact us at info@gatewayacu.com or (619) 289-9336.
This website and our services are not intended for unsupervised children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 without parental consent.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the updated Privacy Policy on this website with a new "Last Updated" date.
Your health and the health of others are our top priority. If you are contagious or experiencing any symptoms of infectious illness (including but not limited to COVID-19, flu, cold, fever, cough, or respiratory symptoms), or if you have been recently exposed to a contagious illness, please notify us at least 24 hours in advance to reschedule your appointment.
Please notify your practitioner prior to your appointment if you are experiencing symptoms of contagious illness. We reserve the right to ask you to reschedule. We may also implement infection control measures such as masks or sanitization protocols as needed.
Free and paid street parking are generally available around the clinic. The clinic currently offers paid parking ($3/hour) on even-numbered spots labeled "Patient Parking" in the back lot accessible via 4th Avenue.
Parking liability: Diego Garcia, L.Ac., doing business as Gateway Acupuncture & Alchemy, is not responsible for theft, damages, towing, tickets, or other issues related to parking. Patients assume all risks associated with parking at or near the clinic location. It is your responsibility to secure and manage your vehicle while parked.
If the building's main door is not open to the public, please call or text (619) 289-9336 upon your arrival. When you arrive, gently knock on the door to announce you are here and you will be let in as soon as the room is ready.
If you arrive late to your appointment, your session may be shortened to remain within your scheduled time frame, which may impact the intended benefits of your treatment. We cannot extend sessions beyond the scheduled time to accommodate late arrivals.
Appointments are paid in full at the time of booking, which holds your time. We kindly request at least 24 hours notice to cancel or reschedule. Reach our admin, Dan, by email (info@gatewayacu.com) or text (619) 289-9336, and he will take care of it.
Prepaid containers: For prepaid session containers, such as the six-session Alchemy Container, a late cancellation or no-show forfeits that session rather than incurring a separate charge, since the container is paid in advance. One courtesy makeup per container may be offered at our discretion, to be used within the container's window.
Appointments running more than 15 minutes late may be considered a no-show and may need to be rescheduled.
Repeated late cancellations or no-shows may result in dismissal from the practice.
Payment: Appointments are paid in full at the time of booking through our scheduling system. We accept credit/debit cards, HSA, and FSA cards.
Fees:
The introductory consultation is complimentary.
Credit card on file: A valid card on file is required for all patients. Appointments are charged at the time of booking; the card on file may also be used for any unpaid balances.
Returned checks: Returned checks will incur a $35 fee, and future payments may be required by cash or card only.
Insurance: Acupuncture is in-network with Cigna, which we bill directly. For all other insurers we do not bill directly; on request we provide itemized superbills you may submit for possible reimbursement. Daoist Alchemy is cash-pay and is not billed to insurance. HSA and FSA cards are accepted. You are responsible for payment of all services, regardless of whether your insurer reimburses you.
Qi Tending is an optional monthly maintenance membership for established patients who have completed an initial course of care, offered by invitation. It includes one 45-minute maintenance session per calendar month. It is not a substitute for a full acupuncture session; any new or acute concern is treated as a regular session.
Billing & authorization. Membership is $108 per month, charged automatically to the card on file through our payment processor, Square, on a recurring monthly basis until cancelled. By enrolling, you authorize these recurring monthly charges.
Term & cancellation. Membership carries a three-month minimum commitment, then continues month to month. After the minimum, you may cancel at any time by email, phone, or text, using the same contact information you used to enroll; cancellation stops the next renewal, and the month already in progress is served as usual. Membership fees are non-refundable. Membership may be paused for travel or illness by request.
Your rate. Your monthly membership rate is held for as long as you remain continuously enrolled; the annual pricing review below does not apply to it. We may change membership pricing with at least 60 days written notice.
The monthly session. Your monthly Qi Tending session does not roll over or accrue; an unused session does not carry to another month. Because the month is prepaid, a late cancellation or no-show forfeits that month's session, with one courtesy makeup per year at our discretion. Membership also includes a brief quarterly check-in, priority booking, your locked-in rate, 10% off retail products, and first access to new offerings.
Effective October 1st each year, prices for all services may be subject to increase by a minimum of 5% or more relative to the current Consumer Price Index (CPI). This annual adjustment allows for the continued delivery of high-quality care. Notices of price increases will be posted in the clinic and communicated via email newsletters.
For the safety of patients and maintenance of quality standards, all sales are final. We do not offer refunds on services or products, including Chinese herbs, supplements, and other purchased items.
If you have purchased a service package and have concerns, please contact us to discuss your options.
These Terms & Policies are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising from these terms or from our services shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in San Diego County, California.
By accessing this website and engaging with our services, you agree to be bound by the terms and policies outlined on this page. These terms and policies are in place to protect the clinic, the practitioner, our patients, and the safety and efficacy of our practice.
If you do not agree to these terms and policies, please do not use this website or engage with our services.
If you have any questions about these Terms & Policies or our Privacy Policy, please contact us:
Gateway Acupuncture & Alchemy
3636 5th Ave, Suite 101
San Diego, CA 92103
Phone: (619) 289-9336
Email: info@gatewayacu.com
Website: www.gatewayacu.com
Effective Date: June 22, 2026
New patients start with a complimentary 10–15 minute consultation call. What to expect on your first visit →