HR 1890

[Guest guest]

Greetings Everyone.

 

I recently ran across this news about House Bill HR 1890. As most of us are

acupuncturists, this bill would directly affect us if passed. I am sending it

on to you in hopes that you will write to your senators and representatives

in favor of this bill, and that you will ask your colleague(s), parent(s),

spouse(s), friend(s), patient(s), child (ren), and anyone else that you could

think of, to also write letters in support of it. It seems that this year

(with elections and all), we might be able to get it out of committee and

maybe even get some good coverage of the benefits of this bill.

Thank you in advance for writing to your representatives.

Please pass this on to as many people as you can.

We do have strength in

energy and numbers!

 

For better health and better life,

 

Susan Froehlich, L.Ac.

 

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Dear Acupuncture Community,

 

We now have a golden opportunity to be included as providers under both

Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans with the

introduction of HR 1890 by Congressman Maurice Hinchey of New York. This bill

has been co-sponsored by several other liberal and conservative members of

the U.S. House, and it now has the blessing of Congressman Mike Bilirakis

(R-FL), who chairs the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health Care, as well as the

lobbyist for the National Association of Retired Federal Employees

(N.A.R.F.E.).

 

Also, we are pursuing the possibility of having acupuncturists added to

the list of health care providers who are part of the Federal Student Loan

Forgiveness program. This would allow for the forgiveness of student loans

for those graduates of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine who choose to work

in poor or underprivileged neighborhoods as specified by the federal

government.

 

The key to our success in both areas is your participation in the

political process, which means taking time to personally write a letter to

your Congressional Representative urging passage of both these bills. Also,

it would greatly help if you would urge your families, students, and patients

to do the same. Below is a sample letter to give you some ideas to express -

in your own words - to your Congress person. Call the AAOM office for the

name and address of your Congressperson.

 

We've waited a long time for this. Let's seize the opportunity.

 

 

Sincerely,

Harvey Kaltsas, A.P., D.O.M. (FL)

 

American Association of Oriental Medicine

433 Front St.

Catasauqua, PA 18032

Phone: 888-500-7999

Fax: 610-264-2768

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**If you have internet access, you can easily find the names and e-mail

addresses of your U.S. representatives / senators by searching under GOVT -

US - addresses, copying them and then pasting them into your e-mail address

book (for future use!) and either e-mailing a letter or writing one.

 

Sample Letter:

 

The Honorable xxxxxx

US House of Representatives,

Washington, DC 20515

 

 

Dear Representative xxxx:

 

As a health care consumer, I would like the power to exercise freedom

of choice when it comes to determining my own tradition of health care. HR

1890 provides for the inclusion of the services of a qualified, state

licensed acupuncture practitioner under both Medicare and Federal Employees

Health Benefits Plans. I have found acupuncture to be both safe and

cost-effective in my own personal care and would prefer this inexpensive form

of health care to the more expensive alternatives Medicare now dictates I

select.

 

Would you please co-sponsor HR 1890 to empower my own freedom of choice

when I select my form of health care?

 

Also, we wish to request that acupuncturists are added to the list of

health care providers who are part of the Federal Student Loan Forgiveness

program. Poor people and those in rural areas also deserve th opportunity to

be served with acupuncture, which is an inexpensive, safe form of health

care. Your support of this bill would enable licensed acupuncturists to

practice in poor and rural areas and thus support fairness and the

availability of cost-effective alternatives in the medical marketplace.

 

Sincerely,