AAAOM, the American Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine's Position Statement in Support of the Designation of Acupuncture as an Essential Health Benefit Service.
AAAOM supports designating acupuncture as an Essential Healthcare Benefit (EHB) for the following reasons:
1. acupuncture is safely & effectively practiced nationally by state licensed & regulated health care professionals who are trained in institutions whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education;
2. acupuncture is a proven, cost-effective & comparatively-effective medical treatment for commonly occuring illnesses as enumeratedby the World Health Organization (WHO) & the National Institutes of Health (NIH);
3. acupuncture is an important aspect of integrative medical care whereby thousands of trained licensed acupuncturists & physicians are practicing acupuncture in clinics, hospitals, universities, veterans' care facilities, & military establishments;
4. acupuncture reimbursement for treatment by licensed acupuncturists & physicians is available through federal, state, & private third party payers;
5. acupuncture, a medically-effective service, has an unparalleled safety record with far fewer side-effects than conventional therapies such as prescription drugs & surgery as well as consistent meaningful improvement outcomes;
6. acupuncture is sought after by the public as there is an established need for increased patient access to care; and
7. acupuncture meets the EHB criteria & services, & at minimum, serves five of the EHB categories of care.
#5 is my personal favorite!! Sign the petition & show your support!!
http://aaaom.rallycongress.com/
