By Christopher Reilly, L.Ac
Now is the time to show our support for Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine. The reforms that will take place over the coming year will shape healthcare for generations to come. At no time will there be a better chance and opportunity to influence these changes. Programs that have already been established and set in motion will be much more difficult to change than programs that have yet to take their final shape.
Acupuncture Coverage Law
New York’s very own Congressman Maurice Hinchey has sponsored the acupuncture coverage bill H.R. 646 (http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/111_HR_646.html). This bill would include coverage for acupuncture under Medicare. This is very important, because state’s often follow national regulations when it comes to healthcare coverage, and it would make a NY state mandate to cover acupuncture much more likely. Please visit this link and vote in the poll to support acupuncture coverage.
In addition, you can contact your own Representative https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml in order to request that he or she also support this bill.
Now is the time to make our voices heard as loudly as possible!
Integrative Medicine Reform
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) http://harkin.senate.gov/- a long time supporter of natural and integrative healthcare that I remember from his relationship with Bastyr University- and Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) http://mikulski.senate.gov/ recently co-chaired “Integrative Care: A Pathway to a Healthier Nation.” The Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academies, also recently held a “Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public” http://www.iom.edu/CMS/28312/52555.aspx. There is a very real buzz about prevention going on. We can all bring more momentum to the movement by letting our representatives know that this issue is important to us.
Contact your representatives in the senate: Senator Charles Schumer http://schumer.senate.gov/ and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand http://gillibrand.senate.gov/ and let them know this is important for you. Contact your representative in your district https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml and let them know that you want them to support H.R. 646. It’s a rare opportunity to be able to have a say in your own government and healthcare at the same moment!
How the new Health Care bill will impact acupuncture isn’t entirely clear yet. A possible direct effect is that preventive measures will be exempt from insurance deductibles. I hope that his may apply to acupuncture for smoking cessation, as well as many of the Center’s other services such as nutrition and supplements for heart health, diabetes prevention and so on.
Indirectly, we will have to wait and see. As the pressure to reduce costs to compete with insurance co-ops increases, hopefully the cost savings of acupuncture for ailments such as arthritis and chronic back pain will convince insurance companies to cover it.
Hi, great post. Can you speak on acupuncture and the new healthcare reform developments? I’d appreciate an update very much! Thanks!
Great post!
The climate of change is in the air and its making headline news. I believe we really do have a chance at real change, creating a society of healthy individuals rather than a society of ill people. Here’s a good article that suports this view:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20090625/ts_ynews/ynews_ts408