It’s unconstitutional to pay the hobbyist MD’s and not licensed acupuncturists!

In NY, the state prescribes training and licenses acupuncturists; both real acupuncturists (L. Ac.) and hobbyist acupuncturists (Cert. Ac, means medical doctors). There is an equal protection issue under federal law.

The state may not lawfully pay allopathic doctors (MD’s) for acupuncture with ANY type of licensure or certification and then NOT pay Licensed Acupuncturists due to the state licensing acupuncturists.

Currently I’ve been in touch with the head counsel for NYS Workers Comp who was ambivalent about taking action even though we can do a simple “declaratory judgment” and have a judge rule the current policy unconstitutional. This would cause the state to have to pay workers comp treatment claims to acupuncturists under the same rules as MD’s. No-Fault will follow suit and most insurances are trickle-down from there. The Workers Comp Advocate though will soon take action on this with the governor.

Does Workers Comp pay well?  Not a chance, but that’s another issue. This one is about opening the doors to those who steer patients to practitioners as well as opening the door to the rest of the insurance world whose acupuncture policies are incidentally set by medical doctors, many of whom don’t want to see acupuncture and TCM take a 30% share of primary health care away from them. By that I mean, dollars, their biggest concern.

Here is a short press release on the saga of NY Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield and their disruption of acupuncture coverage and clearly discriminatory reimbursement practices:
Read story here

As to National Board Certification (NCCAOM), I applaud them for not allowing MD’s to receive this designation and thereby not allowing them to satisfy that requirement which allows for the designation Licensed Acupuncturist.

Tom Chi

For more on Dr. Tom Chi (Doctor of Acupuncture, Rh. Isle., L. Ac.  NYS) go to www.FixPainNow.com
There you can also find info on the amazing pain therapy he pioneered “Soft-Tissue-Reprocessing” also known as “SUPERTOUCH ™”.  Soon posted there will be info on his upcoming series now in production called “The Pain Whisperer” as well as upcoming availability of the new Magnetized Acupuncture Needles for which he is worldwide patent-pending. Tom Chi has practiced acupuncture for 25+ years and done over 130,000 treatments.  As with many acupuncturists virtually all of his patients illnesses are “cured” within a few short treatments and with the SUPERTOUCH ™ therapy even difficult and chronic pain patients receive immediate, tangible, lasting results as their injuries are reprocessed and reformed so that the injuries no longer exist and are therefore no longer predisposed to pain or reinjury as they are gone! You may contact Dr. Chi at: DrChi@FixPainNow.com

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