Hearing Update on the Acupuncture Insurance Bill H3519
Dear Supporters:
On September 20 there was a hearing of Bill H3519, the acupuncture insurance bill, before the House Joint Committee on Financial Services. There was an impressive showing of 25 acupuncturists and other supporters of this bill in attendance. Ours was by far the largest support group in attendance. Our large presence at the hearing made an impact on the committee. We hope that will influence the legislators to promote our bill to the next level. Our information, clarity and depth of preparation were apparent. Speakers emphasized cost effectiveness, clinical effectiveness backed up by research, and personal experience.
Among the speakers was Ted Kaptchuk who spoke eloquently about the importance and efficacy of acupuncture within the larger medical system. At the conclusion of his testimony Ted handed the committee an impressive, nine inch stack of supporting research evidence for their information.
Other speakers testifying in favor of the acupuncture insurance bill included physicians Michael Grodin of BU Medical School, Richard Glickman-Simon of the Tufts Pain Program /acting president of NESA and Dr. Jing Liu who represented the Chinese acupuncture community.
Demie Stathopolos, Director of Pathways to Wellness and Ellen Highfield, Director of Acupuncture Services at Boston Medical Center along with several of their patients, gave compelling testimony as to the importance of this bill in making acupuncture available to the poorest and most under-served members of the community.
Several other acupuncturists and their patients also testified including Naomi Alson, James Moran, Marcia Misorski and Bryn Clark who represented the NCCAOM. Their testimonies gave a human face to the fact that acupuncture works for a variety of conditions. This definitely got the attention of the committee.
The NESA contingent included executive dean Susan Gorman, along with acting president, Dr. Glickman-Simon , three NESA third year students and several others in the audience. Two of the students spoke passionately about how their clinic patients and families had been helped by acupuncture.
The AOMSM Insurance Task Force would like to thank the following individuals for their testimony:
Luis Torres Pat Pransky Dr. Richard Glickman-Simon
Christine Joffe Ellen Highfield Bryn Clark
Dr. Michael Grodin Debra Herrera Marcia Misorski
Maggie Mercier Ted Kaptchuk Naomi Alson
Barbara April Demi Stathopolos Ruth Kain
James Moran Dr. Jing Liu Raymond Jette
It was an honor to be in the room during the hearing. It was impressive how attentive and thoughtful the committee was. Even though committee members had to come and go depending on their other commitments, when they were there it was obvious that they were very present and listening to testimony. This is a Health and Finance committee and the members have had experience dealing with such bills as we are trying to get passed, it was apparent that the members of the were sympathetic with the bills presented (they actually stated their support). For legislation to be passed , even supportive legislators have to be pushed, and the best way to encourage them is to let them hear from their constituents that the bill is important to the public. That is why your continued support is so necessary. Please continue to write and call the legislators, action steps below:
Please continue to help to pass this very important piece of legislature –Bill H3519, mandating health insurance coverage for acupuncture services. Passage of this bill will give greater access for you and your loved ones to acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Please go on-line and sign our petition in support of Bill HD 3519.
Action Steps
Written Testimony
Continue to gather written testimony (yours and your patients’), concerning the value of acupuncture) email or snail mail it to the Co-Chairs of the committee (email addresses below) and members of the committee
Call
Please call one or both of the Co-Chairs of the committee and ask them to support the bill. They are:
Senator Anthony Petruccelli (617) 722- 1634 Anthony.Petruccelli@masenate.gov Representative Michael A. Costello (617) 722- 2220 Michael.Costello@mahouse.gov
(other members in Post Script)
A sample script reads as follows:
"My name is ------and I live in ------. I am calling in support of Bill H3519. I urge the Senator/Rep ----- to support this bill. This bill will help to increase the access and affordability of acupuncture for the public and decrease health care cost throughout the state.
In 1997 the National Institute of Health Consensus Committee on Acupuncture recommended that acupuncture be integrated into our health care system and that Medicare and Medicaid reimburse for its use. I urge Senator/Rep------ support in moving this important matter forward."
If you have questions or if you’d like more information about helping with getting the bill passed please contact Naomi Alson at 413-243-0654 or email naomifalson@gmail.com. For more information on the bill, go to the AOMSM website.
Spread the word
Cut and Paste from this letter, create a letter of your own asking your patients, family, and friends to call the co-chairs and go on-line to sign the petition. (to find the petition on-line go to Change.org, put acupuncture in the search box the petition should come up.)
Help us connect with key members of congress
If you know or have any contact with the other members of the Joint Committee on Financial Services, please make a special effort to contact them:
Joint Committee on Financial Services Members
· Carlo P. Basile from East Boston, House Vice Chair
· Christopher G. Fallon from Malden
· Kevin J. Murphy of Lowell
· Lori A. Ehrlich of Marblehead
· James M. Cantwell of Marshfield
· James J. Dwyer of Woburn
· Timothy R. Madden of Nantucket
· Russell E. Holmes of Boston
· Nicholas A. Boldyga of Southwick
· Marc T. Lombardo of Billricca
Passing legislation is a long process. If you would like to hear from us occasionally about how you can help ensure the passage of this legislation please subscribe to our newsletter on the AOMSM.org website. For this bill to have a chance to pass, it is crucial that we all become active and participate in any way we can.
Please forward this email to anyone who supports acupuncture!!
Thank you for your continued support,
The AOMSM Insurance Task Force