Legislation that would recognize acupuncturists as health care providers within Medicare, "[amending] title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for acupuncturist services under the Medicare program," is finally a reality. H.R. 4803, the Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act of 2021, was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives on July 29, 2021 by Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.).
Supported by the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), H.R. 4803 would give Medicare beneficiaries access to covered acupuncture services; and in turn, allow qualified acupuncturists to be reimbursed for providing such services.
The bill defines a "qualified acupuncturist" as "an individual who is licensed as an acupuncturist by a State or, in the case of an individual in a State that does not provide for such licensure, meets such criteria (such as certification through an appropriate nationally recognized certification authority for acupuncturists)"; and "qualified acupuncture services" as "services performed by a qualified acupuncturist ... and such services and supplies furnished as an incident to services ... as the qualified acupuncturist is legally authorized to perform under State law."
According to the ASA and NCCAOM in a joint press release, " The Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act would provide access to cost-effective, evidence-based, high-quality care, for over 60-million beneficiaries. The ASA and the NCCAOM look forward to engaging members of Congress and the profession in this effort."
As of press time, H.R. 4803 had not yet been referred to committee – generally step one of the process following introduction. The ASA / NCCAOM will provide updates in future issues; you can also track the bill’s progress by clicking here.
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