This post first appeared on the American Society of Acupuncturists.
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From the Chair
Dear Colleagues,
I hope this message finds you well and you are enjoying the summer season. As we move into the second half of the year, I want to share some exciting developments and important updates within our profession.
The AHM Coalition
In late 2023, the leadership of the ASA, ACAHM, CCAHM, and NCCAOM came together to form the Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Coalition (AHM Coalition). This significant initiative was officially presented to our entire profession during an online town hall on May 15th.
During this presentation, we discussed the reasons behind the formation of the AHM Coalition, outlined its mission, vision, and goals, and detailed the immediate next steps. If you were unable to attend, I highly encourage you to view this video recording to stay informed about this vital collaboration. You can count on regular updates as we move projects forward on behalf of the whole profession.
New Legal Developments Affecting Acupuncture Practices
We are also facing new legal landscapes that will impact our practices. To help you navigate these changes, we have organized a webinar on September 18, 2024, where ASA legal counsel, John Murdoch, Esq., will present three new federal laws that directly affect acupuncture practices. This webinar is essential for all practitioners to understand the implications and necessary actions.Please scroll further into the newsletter for details. Register here to join the webinar and learn everything you need to know!
Join your state association and become part of the ASA
If you haven’t already, please join your state association to support the ongoing efforts of the ASA. By joining your state association, you automatically become an ASA member and a portion of your annual dues goes towards ASA projects.Together, we can advance and protect the practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Wishing you all a wonderful second half of the year!
Best,
Olivia
The Latest – What the ASA Committees are doing right now
Advocacy Committee – Chair, Jennifer Broadwell
The Advocacy Committee continues working to support H.R. 3133, the Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act. We are looking to gain additional Republican co-sponsors to ensure a balanced bipartisan bill.
If you live, or work, in a Republican district and are willing to attend a virtual meeting with your Representative, please sign up here. Molly Ford, director of Advocacy and Government Relations NCCAOM, will contact you to schedule a meeting. She will provide training and support, and will accompany you on the virtual meeting with your Representative.
Governance Committee – Chair, David Bock
Gov Com is looking for more members who are detail oriented and skilled at written communication. Gov Com has been working with Nom Com and the BOD to make sure that the organization is operating as well as it can be.
Herbal Medicine Committee- Chair, Linda Robinson-Hidas
Please feel free to use both About Herbs documents in your practice. There is one for patients and one for health care providers.
https://www.asacu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/About-Herbal-Medicine-Handout.pdf
https://www.asacu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/About-Herbal-Medicine-Professional-Handout-Final.pdf
Insurance Committee – Chair, Mori West
As usual, my committee has been hard at work. We have responded to the federal register request for comments about Medicare Advantage plans, explaining the difficulties that providers face with these types of plans and requesting all plans be much more clear regarding benefits.
We have received confirmation that ASNY’s recoupment response IS working and Anthem is no longer recouping in NY but rather sending fees previously recouped. We have also seen this happen with Anthem in CA and despite getting computer generated recoupment requests, (probably in data management queue), providers are also getting responses that the recoupments will stop and be overwritten when they have appealed.
To this end we have reached out to CSOMA, as we wanted to make them aware that this same thing is happening to acupuncturists in California. We are requesting CSOMA gather data about members who are also being subjected to recoupment. We will then share with their members a templated response and action game plan for fighting these recoupments.
We have also shared information via the CSA listserv about the No Fees for EFTs Acts in both the House and the Senate. Essentially Providers are being charged for utilizing direct deposit for reimbursement. Here are links to both bills: Link to House Bill, Link to Senate Bill . The AHM Coalition, consisting of ASA, NCCAOM and ACAHM have sent a letter of support as have a number of state associations. We were told by the Oregon association that their lobbyist recommends that letters be sent to each provider (or patient’s) legislative representatives with a personal note requesting support of these bills, if they are not a co-sponsor. We would like to see EVERY association utilize this opportunity for involvement.
Our work continues as we have been working on a strategy for reimbursement to current Medicare patients who are seen by licensed acupuncturists (but do not have MD supervision). We have reached out to the AARP, to see if they are willing to support us in this endeavor and have also shared our strategy with the lobbyist for the Maine Association, who was having a meeting with Senator Susan Collins, (Thanks to Naomi Skoland, our newest committee member and member of the Maine Association.)
Finally a shout out to my committee members, Jessica Gregory, (who is also the ASA rep on the AMA CPT Editorial Panel), Amy Mager, Samina Quraishi, Anna Panettiere, and Naomi Skoland – they are some of the hardest working volunteers I’ve had the pleasure of working with and I am proud to stand beside them in doing the work that needs to be done.
Medicaid Committee – Committee Member Joe Pandolfo
The Medicaid Committee continues to move forward with the folking goals: 1. To educate providers, regulators and legislators about acupuncture and its cost effective evidence based non-opioid treatment for pain, PTSD and other symptoms. 2. To support any ASA state organization seeking to become providers under Medicaid to have support and tools to do so. 3. To continue to advance our Medicine and be ambassadors for our Medicine and why it matters to be involved in Medicaid programs.
For more information, you can reach out directly to
or to one of our committee members: Jared West, Denise Tyson, Joe Pandolfo, Beth Howlett, Tuesday Wasserman and Laura Ocker
Membership/Benefits Committee – Chair, Grace Ouchida
Earlier this year, ASA put out a call for Occupation Expert volunteers to participate in the O*NET Data Collection Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. The data collection for the “Acupuncturists” profession has been completed and the listing is updated here: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1291.00. O*NET is the nation’s most comprehensive source of occupational data and is a free resource for millions of job seekers, employers, veterans, educators, and students at www.oonetonline.org.
New Member Benefit
Transformational Herbal Pharmacy is a full-service compounding herbal dispensary based in Washington, DC. ASA members can now receive a 5% discount on orders using a discount code available upon login to the Members Only section on ASA’s website.
To access Member Benefits, ASA members must login to the Members Only section on ASA’s website (https://asacu.org/member-benefits-package/) with the username and password. If you do not have the username and password, please contact your ASA member state association for the information.
Nominating Committee: Chair, Kelly Hora
We are accepting applications for the ASA Governance, Herbal Medicine, and Membership Committees. Use this form to apply for a committee position!
We also invite candidates for ASA Board of Directors – Read this to learn about BOD Positions and how to apply
Reach out anytime with questions ~
Research Committee – Chair, Lisa Conboy
Our “ASA members’ attitudes toward research” paper was accepted by the journal Medical Acupuncture and will be published soon. Great job to lead author Sam Allen and senior author Judy Schlaeger. And most thanks to all members that participated and shared ideas. Watch for the next paper soon!
Social Media Committee – Chair, Louis Jin
The social media committee is working on a process to create a shareable content library to help the national and state associations work more closely together and share what everyone is already developing. Stay tuned for more information and what we will need from everyone in the coming months.
Strategic Planning Committee – Chair, Candace Sarges
The Strategic Planning Committee is pleased to welcome 2 new members: Nichelle Cieri of the ASA Board has joined the SPC officially and David Bibbey, Legislative Chair of FSOMA has also joined the SPC officially. We are working on revamping the Board Governance and leadership training project. Stay tuned for further announcements.
Website Committee – Chair, Jeff Bloom
MacDragon is hard at work getting all of the states currently in agreement up and running. If you have any questions, or would like to get a quote for your state, please contact
.
ASA Joint developments
New Legal Developments Affecting Acupuncture Practices – WEBINAR
Presented on Behalf of the American Society of Acupuncturists (“ASA”)
September 18, 2024 8pmE/7pmC/6pmM/5pmE
By ASA Attorney – John P. Murdoch II, Esq.
I. Introduction and Overview of Webinar. (5 minutes)
II. Corporate Transparency Act.[1] (15 minutes)
The CTA requires all companies in the United States (including, without limitation, any acupuncture practices formed as an LLC, corporation, or other entity) created or registered to do business before January 1, 2024, will have until January 1, 2025 to file its initial “beneficial ownership information (“BOI”). Any companies created or registered on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2025, will have ninety (90) calendar days after receiving notice of the company’s creation or registration to file its initial BOI report. The attendees will receive a brief overview of the CTA, information as to how to obtain additional information, and information as to how to proceed with making the required filings with the federal government.
III. Federal Trade Commission’s Rule Banning Non-Competes.[2] (20 minutes)
The Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”)’s new rule essentially bans most non-compete agreements with employees. The attendees will learn the extent of the ban as well as the exceptions. The attendees will also learn about the current status of the challenges to this rule.
IV. HIPAA Rule Change Regarding Reproductive Health Care.[3] (15 minutes)
HIPAA Rules concerning reproductive health care. Attendees will be provided with an overview of the reasons for the new rule and specific compliance requirements will also be discussed.
Questions. (5 minutes)
[1] Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting | FinCEN.gov
[2] FTC Announces Rule Banning Noncompetes | Federal Trade Commission
[3] The Biden-Harris Administration Issues New Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy Under HIPAA | HHS.gov
The 19th San Francisco International Symposium on Chinese Medicine will be held online + onsite on July 21,2024, 9:50am to 4:15pm PST, and the theme of the symposium is focus on Head, Neck, and ENT Specialization. The speakers are the top experts in this field from Guangzhou, Beijing, Malaysia and the US. The symposium languages are Mandarin with English interpretation. The main topics as followings:
∎ Treatment of Head and Facial Diseases — Dr. Li Ye
∎ Acupuncture and Manual Therapy for Trigeminal Neuralgia — Professor Zhou Xiping
∎ “Long’s (Long, CengHua) Manual Therapy Methods” and Demonstration for the Cervical Spine — Professor William Zhao
∎ Xinwu’s Sphenopalatine Ganglion Acupuncture Method for Allergic Rhinitis (AR) — Professor Chen Luquan
∎ The TCM Approach to Treating Tinnitus and Hearing Loss — Professor Li Yunying
Earn 6 PDAs/CEUs. The event will be held in-person and online via Zoom Webinar at California University Silicon Valley, 441 De Guigne Dr. Sunnyvale, CA 94085, on Sunday, July 21st, from 9:50 AM to 4:05 PM PT (1:00 PM to 7:00 PM ET).
As a co-sponsor, ASA members receive a registration discount with the code ASA2024.
For more information and to register, please visit: worldchinesemedicineforum.org
ASA Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
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Join us as five renowned TCM doctors from the US and China present the latest research progress in TCM treatment for otolaryngological conditions like tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, and more! This year’s event offers hybrid participation with both online and in-person options available:
Online Zoom Webinar:
USA West Coast: Sunday, July 21st, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM PT
USA East Coast: Sunday, July 21st, 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM ET
Beijing, China: Monday, July 22nd, 1:00 AM – 7:00 AM BJT
In-Person Conference:
Marriott San Francisco
Sunday, July 21st, 9:50 AM – 4:05 PM PT
Live attendance (either in-person or online) is eligible for 6 PDA/CEU credits (pending) and Chinese/English translations will both be available for each presentation. Students can register for free (no CEUs). To learn more about the event, please visit our website: https://worldchinesemedicineforum.org/.
State Association Updates
California CSOMA
We have great news!!! Governor Newsom upholds acupuncture benefits in Medi-Cal amid budget cuts. We thank all of our members and the other associations that are members of the California Acupuncture Coalition for putting in a team effort of contacting their representatives and signing petitions to make this happen
“The preservation of acupuncture benefits in Medi-Cal… is largely credited to collaborative efforts among the acupuncture community, key legislators, and Medi-Cal beneficiaries.”
In other news, save the date for our next conference on September 26-27 at The Oakland Endowment Center. Our speaker line up is amazing!!! We have Matthew Bauer, Susan Johnson, Jenny Neeters and Andy Ellis.
AACMA
1. We successfully retained acupuncture as a Medi-Cal benefit in California!
The State Governor’s May version of the proposed 2024-2025 budget initially eliminated acupuncture as a Medi-Cal benefit. However, the AACMA collaborated with other members of the California Acupuncture Coalition to rally support from acupuncture stakeholders and the State legislature. Through rallies at the State Capitol and persistent advocacy, we conveyed our message to the Governor’s office. As a result, we secured the $5.8 million per year funding from the State!
2. Welcome to the 19th San Francisco International Symposium on TCM – Head, Neck, and ENT Specialization (July 21)
Jointly organized by AACMA and WCMF, five renowned experts in Head, Neck, and ENT will discuss the latest treatment protocols for otolaryngological conditions. Professors will share their clinical experiences and demonstrate acupuncture techniques and manual therapy.
Earn 6 PDAs/CEUs. The event will be held in-person and online via Zoom Webinar at California University Silicon Valley, 441 De Guigne Dr. Sunnyvale, CA 94085, on Sunday, July 21st, from 9:50 AM to 4:05 PM PT (1:00 PM to 7:00 PM ET).
As a co-sponsor, ASA members receive a registration discount with the code ASA2024.
For more information and to register, please visit: worldchinesemedicineforum.org
Maine 
Maine Acupuncture Society executed a membership drive in April by mail and email. Our membership stands at 22% of the Licensed Acupuncturists in Maine and we continue to make personal follow-up calls to garner more support.
Friday, April 26th, 2024 was the date of the Maine Acupuncture Society annual meeting. The event was enjoyed by over 20 members including one of Maine’s original licensed acupuncturists and one who drafted our scope of practice laws in the state! We invited guest speakers, including Garrett Mason of Dirigo Partners, the lobbying group representing MAS. It was a fabulous day of meeting new colleagues, eating nutritious food, and earning a few CEU’s!
We are happy to welcome Naomi Skoglund as our Insurance Committee Chair and also ASA Insurance Committee member. Also, the Executive Board has appointed Bonnie Freitas of Brunswick and Portland, to serve as Secretary effective June 10th. Welcome, Naomi and Bonnie and thank you for your service to Maine Acupuncture Society!
Our Government Action Committee continues to meet weekly on Fridays. Our next action item will be to draft a letter to send to representatives requesting they support H.R. 6487, the No Fee’s for EFT’s Act.
Massachusetts
The Acupuncture Society of Massachusetts continues to grow and work to meet both the needs of our members and educate consumers about acupuncture and traditional herbal medicine. ASA is currently planning for its annual meeting, and has a series of lunch and learns called Acu Talks which you are all welcome to attend. Find out more on our website https://www.acusocietyma.org/
New York
ASNY will be having their spring banquet in New York City’s Chinatown this year, Saturday, May 4th at Golden Unicorn on East Broadway. All are welcome, tickets available here, https://givebutter.com/c/XpydvL and all are welcome to participate in our hybrid silent auction, https://givebutter.com/c/XpydvL/auction!
We have two in-person classes scheduled for this year. June 8 and 9 we are offering a Shen-Hammer Pulse diagnosis class with Ross Rosen at Pacific College of Health and Science, https://asny.org/events/#!event/2024/4/20/shen-hammer-pulse-diagnosis-with-ross-rosen-lac-dipl-om-senior-certified-teacher and September 22nd we have a Master Tung’s Style Pain Management class with Henry McCann, https://asny.org/events/#!event/2024/9/22/tung-style-pain-management-with-dr-henry-mcann-dipl-om-lac
Discounts are available for out of state members who belong to their state organization. Contact your state organization or
for more details.
New Hampshire
NHAAMA is looking forward to our next virtual Quarterly Meeting on July 23rd, followed by an in-person get-together for our members in Portsmouth NH on July 28th.
We have secured a lobbyist through the end of 2024 and appreciate knowing that the lobbyist will assist us with legislation in the fall when several legislative bills of concern will return.
Our greatest concern is the proposed change from having a regulatory Licensing Board for Acupuncture to an Advisory Board.
We have also posted the following questions on the ASA threads and thank those who have provided some suggestions. That said, we continue to welcome information from the other state associations regarding the following:
- If other states have experienced a shift from having a regulatory Board of Licensing for acupuncture to an advisory board, what have been the concerns, and problems; have there been any advantages?
- For those states who were successful in defeating such a shift and were able to maintain their regulatory Boards of Licensing, what strategies were helpful?
- As we look ahead to funding our lobbyist into 2025, fundraising will be a big priority for NHAAMA. What have other states found to be successful for ways to boost their political action funding?
Additional NHAAMA goals for this summer/early fall include:
Creating a brochure giving our legislators information about the acupuncture profession, finding ways to offer our members additional opportunities for earning CEUs/PDAs, and scheduling an Acupuncture Day in November or December for newly elected incoming legislators.
New York
ASNY is excited to announce that we launched the Acupuncture Society of New York Political Action Committee (ACUPAC), for the purpose of building strong relationships with policymakers who recognize the value of acupuncture in healthcare and support candidates who understand our profession. Our aim is to ensure that our profession continues to thrive and that our patients receive the care they deserve. Donate here, www.donorbox.org/acupac-kickoff
Over the weekend of June 8th and 9th, we had an incredible course on “Pulse Diagnosis in the Shen-Hammer Tradition with Ross Rosen, JD, LAc, Dipl OM.’’, a direct lineage holder and senior certified instructor of Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis, and a long-term student of Dr. Leon Hammer and Jeffrey Yuen. A big thank you to Ross Rosen for sharing his immense knowledge and to all participants for making this event a resounding success!
ASNY will be having a summer picnic in Prospect Park, Brooklyn on Sunday, August 25 from 1PM-5PM. Please join us!
Dr Henry McCann will be teaching another in-person class for ASNY September 29th, “Fundamentals of Acupuncture Points: Integrating Tung’s Acupuncture and Classical Principles”.https://asny.org/events/#!event/2024/9/22/tung-style-pain-management-with-dr-henry-mcann-dipl-om-lac
The class he taught for us last year was very popular and we are excited to have him back!
Pennsylvania
We are thrilled to share the news that HB 1490 passed the Senate on Tuesday and was concurred in the House on Wednesday. It is now headed to Gov. Shapiro’s desk for signature. This historic milestone was made possible by the tireless efforts of our Legislative committee, diligence of our lobbyist and his team, and the support of all APA members.
This bill modernizes our Acupuncture Licensure Act of February 14, 1986 (P.L.2, No.2). It allows acupuncturists licensed in other states to attend or conduct educational events, as well as volunteer in the Commonwealth in an emergency. It also implements continuing education requirements for license renewal, bringing acupuncturists in line with requirements in other states and other licensed healthcare providers in Pennsylvania.
The APA is also excited to share about our upcoming Fall class:
Ophthalmology Intensive
Gain Confidence. Grow your practice. Help more patients. Expand your outreach with Chinese Herbal Medicine
Presented by Cara O. Frank, L.OM. Dipl. OM
CA Provider # 1771 NCCAOM Provider #1 9210
Distance and In Person Learning Opportunity
7 credits NCCAOM & CA PENDING
This highly practical lecture will cover four eye diseases that encountered in clinical practice:
Eye Anatomy and Diagnosis: Understanding the Five Wheels of the Eye, Glaucoma- Open and Closed, Cataracts, Conjunctivitis: acute, chronic and vernal, Styes: Hordeola and Chalazia
Learn from subject matter expert Cara O. Frank, the co-author of Case Studies: Eye Ear Nose and Throat Disorders. You’re promised a greater depth of knowledge than can be found elsewhere.
Tennessee
Welcome new Board member Rachelle P. We are looking forward to having you join us and bring new ideas to the table.
It’s nearly summer & we’re feeling the heat.
Come cool down & connect with us in Knoxville or virtually!
We will have a meet & greet for TAC members to meet the new and existing board members
Consider joining as a board member at large
TAC Board Meet & Greet
Wednesday, June 26 · 7:00 – 8:00pm
Time zone: America/New_York
Google Meet joining info: https://calendar.app.google/SBwqGFHDtuHjRFK88
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/hjn-tkeb-pjg
Let’s continue to collaborate, advocate, and educate to ensure that acupuncture reaches more people and transforms lives for the better.
FUTURE EVENTS
To find more events, visit our events page. TAC is working hard to bring a variety of events and support acupuncture engagements across TN. Want to start an event in your area? Let TAC know and we will help promote it!
**Small meet ups are not sponsored by TAC. These are organized by members or those who want to make more connections across TN.
If you’re a member and wish to have us share exciting news about your clinic, events or job opportunities please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!
Email us:
Wisconsin
- WISCA had an online ZOOM meeting “Meet the board” with members on May 14th, 2024. The board members introduced themselves, gave a brief report about each committee and answered members’ questions.
- The board connected with Candice, and had her give the board an informative “board training” on Jun 11, 2024.
- The Education Committee hosted a free seminar “Insurance 101” for students on June 9th, 2024 to prepare them to be successful acupuncturists.
- The second Local acupuncturists meetup will be held in Manitowoc, WI in late July.
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