Great news!

In response to the opioid crisis in America, several bills have been proposed by The House of Representatives to create alternatives to opioids for use in pain management. One such item within these bills cites acupuncture as a possible treatment alternative that would be covered by Medicare were the bills made into law. H.R. 5776, the Medicare and Opioid Safe Treatment or MOST Act is one such bill, which has passed the House and is now on to the Senate. H.R. 6110 and H.R. 6 also cite the possibility, provided it passes a series of clinical trials, of acupuncture treatments being covered by Medicare when used as a form of pain management.
Here is the language from the bill itself:

“An evaluation of the following:

(B) Costs and benefits associated with potential expansion of coverage under such title to include items and services furnished by integrated pain management programs.”

Please click on the links below for more information about this exciting possibility for acupuncturists. Please support the legislation in any way possible so that these resolutions have the greatest chance to pass the senate and be codified into law.

HR5776:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr5776/text/ih

HR6110:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6110/text

HR6:
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-115hr6eah/pdf/BILLS-115hr6eah.pdf