Speaking on behalf of the board of directors of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance, executive director Michael R. McCoy announced the Alliance's endorsement and support of the reintroduction of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act as proposed by Representative Maurice Hinchey of New York and a number of co-sponsors.
"This bill marks an important step forward in the recognition and acceptance of acupuncture as a key modality in the American health care system," said Dr. McCoy. "The board is gratified that our legislators have heard the growing demand of the public for access to our medicine and its safe and effective treatment modalities."
Dr. McCoy indicated that beyond endorsement, the Alliance will urge its members and friends to support the legislation by contacting their representatives and senators.
When we talk about fertility, the focus is often placed on the ovaries and the uterus. Yet sperm-related factors contribute to nearly half of all cases of infertility. Whether someone is navigating fertility care alone or with a partner, and whether building a family through intercourse, IVI, IUI or IVF, it’s vital to include sperm health in the picture.
With some plans – and it starts with Medicare (CMS) – there is a payment protocol that may be referred to as a multi-therapy discount, but its official name is the multiple-procedure payment reduction (MPPR). If a health care provider performs multiple procedures during a single patient encounter, Medicare (and many commercial insurers) typically will pay “full price” for only the highest-valued procedure.
Our team of authors offer this paper (and this descriptive AT series) as a support for you as a professional, practitioner and member of the acupuncture community at large. We hope that it will serve to further the needs of acupuncturists everywhere and also act as a guide for those wishing to learn about Acupuncture Medicine – patients, healthcare decision makers, policymakers, and other stakeholders.