More CA Legislative Updates

[Guest guest]

Hi group,

 

It looks like Chinese Herbal Medicine will NOT be in the scope of practice of Naturopathic Doctors, at least in California.

 

Teresa

 

 

Republican Caucus Proposes to Eliminate Acupuncture from Medi-CalJuly 2, 2003 - Sacramento - Today, the Assembly Republican Caucus proposed that acupuncture and other selected services be taken out of Medi-Cal in order to trim the budget. Republicans are opposing any tax increases to make up for a decrease of over $35 billion in taxes due to the poor economy, and they are suggesting slashing expenditures everywhere. The Governor proposed taking all Medi-Cal options out of the budget, but both the Senate and the Assembly decided to keep them in. The Republicans’ proposal is a compromise, but at the expense of Medi-Cal patients who benefit from acupuncture, chiropractic, and other “optional” benefits. Now past the June 30 deadline for signing the budget, everything is up for grabs again.What you can do:Contact your Legislators every week and remind them not to take acupuncture away from Medi-Cal recipients. Ask them to keep all Medi-Cal optional benefits.SB 907 Amended to Exclude Acupuncture and Oriental MedicineJuly 2, 2003 - Sacramento - SB 907, which will license Naturopathic Doctors in California, was amended in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee yesterday, and passed on a 13-0 vote. Last minute negotiations between CAOMA, Senator Burton, and the Naturopaths resulted in the exclusion of “Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese and Oriental Medicine, including Chinese Herbal Medicine” from the scope of practice of Naturopathic Doctors. Other amendments were made at the request of the California Naturopathic Association, made up of traditional naturopaths, who also opposed the legislation based upon the fact that Naturopathic Doctors have diluted and altered the practice of naturopathy and are taking the title from them. Their amendments assure that they can continue to call themselves naturopaths, and can practice naturopathy without a license. Both amendments were reflected in the “Legislative Analysis” printed prior to the hearing.On May 18, CAOMA had voted to take an “oppose unless amended” position on SB 907, because Naturopathic Doctors in other states claim that acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and Oriental medicine in their scopes of practice with very little training and no standards. Training for Doctor of Naturopathy only includes a total of about 120 hours of herbal medicine and only about 50 hours of . CAOMA immediately informed Senator Burtons’ staff about CAOMA’s new position, and Burton’s staff said that they would review our request set up a meeting. Last Thursday, they finally contacted CAOMA and a meeting was arranged with CAOMA president Michelle Lau. CAOMA contacted others about the meeting and possible need for testimony and the hearing. Only Dr. Deke Kendall of the National Guild was the able to attend the meeting early Monday morning. CAOMA Executive Director Brian Fennen and acupolitician Neal Miller cancelled patients to attend the Tuesday hearing, in case the amendments were not accepted. Following the Monday morning negotiations, Fennen continued to work with Burton’s staff to finalize the exact language of the amendment that afternoon, and an agreement was reached to withdraw CAOMA’s opposition.On Tuesday, the hearing room and hallway were packed with over one hundred people, mostly there to testify on SB 907. Supporters argued that Naturopathic Doctors are licensed in other states, and should be allowed to practice in California. Opponents argued that the practice of naturopathy should not be regulated at all. Dozens of Mexican-Americans testified that they were concerned that their traditional healers would be arrested for practicing herbal medicine and other healing arts. CAOMA Executive Director Brian Fennen testified that CAOMA accepted the amendments offered by Senator Burton. San Francisco Assemblyman Leland Yee, a member of the Committee, asked Fennen to clarify CAOMA’s position. During negotiations, Yee had been contacted by CAOMA, informed about our concerns, and wanted assurances that the final amendments were acceptable. The Chair of the Committee, Lou Correa, asked if CAOMA was now supporting SB 907. Fennen replied that CAOMA was not supporting AB907, but was only removing opposition and that CAOMA was now “Neutral” on SB 907. Neal Miller testified on behalf of the CCAA that they withdrew their opposition, based upon the CAOMA amendments. The lobbyist for the California Medical Association stated that they continued to take an “oppose unless amended” position, but voiced their belief that Senator Burton would continue to work with them to remove some of the “minor office procedures” listed in the scope of practice bill before it passed the Assembly. Assemblyman Correa and Yee, along with the other Committee Members, voted to pass SB 907. Deke Kendall and CSOMA lobbyist Steve English also attended the hearing, in case additional testimony was required. SB 907 now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.A special thanks should go to CAOMA president Michelle Lau for organizing all of the California Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine associations to lobby Senator Burton to amend SB 907. We believe that every association registered their opposition to SB 907 before the hearing. UCPCM, CSOMA, and the Guild were particularly helpful in CAOMA’s last-minute negotiations.SB 582 Amended to Prohibit Dangerous Prescription of EphedraJuly 1, 2003 - Sacramento - SB 582, which prohibits the public sale and distributions of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids (Ma Huang - Ephedra), was amended and passed out of the Assembly Health Committee on a 13-5 vote, with the added support of CAOMA. Initially, SB 582 would have prohibited acupuncturists from prescribing Ma Huang formulas. However, SB 582 was amended on June 16, at the request of CAOMA, to exempt acupuncturists and other licensed health care practitioners. Senator Speier further amended SB 582 yesterday to prohibit licensed health care practitioners from prescribing or dispensing such supplements for “weight loss, body building, and athletic performance enhancement.” This language was similar to language suggested by CAOMA, as we informed Senator Speier that Ephedra is not used for such purposes in traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine. For further information, Contact: .

Brian Fennen, LAc, QME, OBTExecutive DirectorCouncil of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Assocations1217 Washington StreetCalistoga, CA 94515Tel: 707-942-9380 Fax: 707-942-8242