Healthcare Policy and Functional Medicine

Bill Reddy, LAc, Dipl. Ac.

Bill Reddy serves on the editorial boards of four national peer-reviewed medical journals, and has supported the AOM profession on a state and national level. He is the owner/operator of Vital Point Acupuncture clinic in Annandale, Va. For more information, visit www.BillReddy.com.

Previous Articles

Acupuncture’s Role in Resolving GLP-1 Drug-Induced Blindness
November 1, 2025 (Vol. 26, Issue 11)
The Emerging Role of Nicotine in the Integrative Treatment of Long COVID
June 1, 2025 (Vol. 26, Issue 6)
Remembering a Pioneer in Medical Acupuncture
April 1, 2025 (Vol. 26, Issue 4)
Help Your Patients Achieve Optimal Energy and Wellness
February 1, 2025 (Vol. 26, Issue 2)
Treating Morton’s Neuroma
November 1, 2024 (Vol. 25, Issue 11)
Embracing Harmony: Pregnenolone’s Role in Alleviating Menopausal Symptoms
September 1, 2024 (Vol. 25, Issue 9)
Understanding the Risks of Anticholinergic Drugs
June 1, 2024 (Vol. 25, Issue 6)
Reversing the Irreversible? The Acupuncture Peripheral Neuropathy Campaign
March 2024 (Vol. 25, Issue 3)
Exploring Migraine Management: CGRP Agonist Drugs vs. Acupuncture
February 2024 (Vol. 25, Issue 2)
Redefining National Well-Being: NASEM's Bold Vision for Comprehensive Health
November 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 11)
Can COVID-19 Spike Proteins Be Defeated With a Japanese Breakfast Food?
August 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 08)
Sound Advice on Tibetan Singing Bowls
May 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 05)
Long COVID and Altered Mitochondrial Function
February 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 02)
Acupuncturist Wanted: For Mission to Mars
November 2022 (Vol. 23, Issue 11)
Strategic Workforce Development: The Key to Our Professional Survival
August 2022 (Vol. 23, Issue 08)
Analyzing the Updated 2022 Draft CDC Opioid Prescription Guideline
May 2022 (Vol. 23, Issue 05)
Platelet-Rich Plasma & Prolozone Therapies
February 2022 (Vol. 23, Issue 02)
Integrative Approaches to Osteoarthritis
November 2021 (Vol. 22, Issue 11)
Peripheral Neuropathy: Improving Outcomes
August 2021 (Vol. 22, Issue 08)
Acupuncture Legislation From Coast to Coast
Co-Author: Jennifer Broadwell, AP, Dipl. OM
Co-Author: Amy Mager, DACM, LAc, Dipl. OM (NCCAOM), FABORM
May 2021 (Vol. 22, Issue 05)
A Cardiovascular Canary in a Coal Mine
February 2021 (Vol. 22, Issue 02)
NGA Report on Chronic Pain: The Far-Reaching Implications for Acupuncture
December 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 12)
Dry Heels: It Could Be a Reflection of Something More Insidious
November 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 11)
Integrative Health vs. Functional Medicine
July 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 07)
Integrative Treatment Approaches for Chemo- and Radiation-Induced Xerostomia
April 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 04)
AOM in America: Political Landscape Analysis
January 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 01)
Defining Integrative Health: An Updated Version by the IHPC
October 2019 (Vol. 20, Issue 10)
Inside a DAOM Internship at a Level 1 Trauma Center
August 2019 (Vol. 20, Issue 08)
A Major Breakthrough in U.S. Pain Policy
June 2019 (Vol. 20, Issue 06)
Coffee: The Good, Bad & Ugly ... And Its Relevance to Your Treatments
April 2019 (Vol. 20, Issue 04)
Dehydration ... A Commonly Overlooked Etiology
February 2019 (Vol. 20, Issue 02)
Acupuncture in Hospital Systems: Transitioning From Tolerated to Celebrated
December 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 12)
October 24th is AOM Day!
October 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 10)
Acupuncture in an Integrative Oncology Center
October 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 10)
Valuable Adjunctive Therapies
August 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 08)
Paving the Way to Integrative Health & Wellness
July 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 07)
A Model for Integrative Health in the U.S.
June 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 06)
Working to Further the Profession: A Board-Certified Acupuncturist's View of the NCCAOM
April 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 04)
Combating Drug Addiction & The Opioid Crisis: An Analysis
February 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 02)
Treating Neurological Disorders: Neuro-Acupuncture, a Breakthrough Technique
January 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 01)
The FDA Recommends Acupuncture: Comments From Key AOM Stakeholders
September 2017 (Vol. 18, Issue 09)
The Risk Behind Technology: An Insomniac's Nightmare
July 2017 (Vol. 18, Issue 07)
Shedding Light on the Benefits of Heliotherapy
April 2017 (Vol. 18, Issue 04)
Losing Your Mind? Try Coconut Oil
January 2017 (Vol. 18, Issue 01)
What's New in the NCCIH Strategic Plan
October 2016 (Vol. 17, Issue 10)
AOM Hospital-Based Practice: A Future Reality?
July 2016 (Vol. 17, Issue 07)
A Picture of Practical Integration
April 2016 (Vol. 17, Issue 04)
The Integrative Medicine Puzzle: Putting the Pieces Together
August 2015 (Vol. 16, Issue 08)
Chinese Doctors Poke Holes in Australian Study
July 2015 (Vol. 16, Issue 07)
Implications of Section 2706: The Non-Discrimination Provision Survey
December 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 12)
Simple Ways To Find True Happiness
November 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 11)
The Science Behind Happiness
October 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 10)
A Closer Look At The Affordable Care Act
October 2013 (Vol. 14, Issue 10)
A Look Into The Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium and U.S. Healthcare
October 2012 (Vol. 13, Issue 10)
Achieving Optimal Health through Transdermal Magnesium Therapy
July 2012 (Vol. 13, Issue 07)
Insights With Norm Shealy
June 2012 (Vol. 13, Issue 06)
Integrative Care – One Clinic at a Time
October 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 10)
The Complex Journey of Healthcare Reform
July 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 07)
Integrative Medicine in Action at the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing
April 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 04)
Integrative Care Moves Forward
January 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 01)
Chinese Herbal Medicine Passes FDA Phase II Clinical Trials
November 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 11)
Performance-Enhancing Herbs
October 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 10)
Integrated Medicine, the Health Care Reform Bill and You
August 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 08)
Trending
Billing / Fees / Insurance
The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the U.S. (Pt. 3)
The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the U.S.

Whether you accept it, avoid it or live somewhere in between, insurance coverage has become a defining issue for our profession. Patients increasingly expect to use their benefits, practitioners want to be compensated fairly for their time and expertise, and the system itself remains – at best – fragmented. The encouraging news is that coverage has expanded in meaningful ways. The challenging news is that reimbursement, across the board, remains inadequate.

Clasina (Sina) Leslie Smith, MS, MA, LAc, MD, Dipl. Ac., FAAMA
Chinese & Asian Medicine
Vesicle Formation After Cupping: Clinical Insights & Management Considerations
Vesicle Formation After Cupping: Clinical Insights & Management Considerations

While the formation of erythema and ecchymosis is an anticipated skin response to cupping therapy, the appearance of post-treatment vesicles remains less discussed in clinical literature. This article presents a case study of vesicle formation following cupping therapy, explores underlying pathophysiology, and offers management guidelines to support practitioners in addressing this phenomenon safely and effectively.

Roman Slavinskiy, LAc
Acupuncture Techniques
Understanding Facial Spasms and Tics
Understanding Facial Spasms and Tics

Facial movements are essential for communication, expression and function. But when these movements become involuntary, they can lead to conditions that are not only physically uncomfortable, but also socially and emotionally distressing. Today, we’re taking a closer look at three common facial motor disorders – blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm and facial tics – and how both Western medicine and TCM view and treat them.

Michelle Gellis, AP, Dipl. Ac.