ASA and NCCAOM Advocacy Team

The American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) and National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) Advocacy Team works tirelessly to advance the acupuncture / TCM profession, particularly by advocating for legislation that better positions the profession within health care; and in so doing, expands opportunities for patients to receive acupuncture and acupuncture practitioners to be able to provide it.

Previous Articles

ASA, NCCAOM Endorse Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act of 2023
July 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 07)
Strategic Advocacy: Promoting H.R. 4803 This Year (and Next)
May 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 05)
Supporting H.R. 4803: It's Easy!
July 2022 (Vol. 23, Issue 07)
Why – and How – to Campaign for the Acupuncture Profession This Election Season
June 2022 (Vol. 23, Issue 06)
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.