The Acupuncture for Heroes and Seniors Act of 2017, if passed, would expand the treatment of veterans, U.S. Armed Forces military personnel, and their dependents to include acupuncture services for many health concerns without the need for a referral. The significance of this bill on a national level is that it would provide a new baseline for standards of care that recognize acupuncture as an essential benefits for the populations mentioned in addition to those who receive Medicare. Also, by including licensed acupuncturists with medical doctors certified in acupuncture as “qualified†providers, this bill elevates the reputation of our profession on the national stage, lending credibility and perceived value to the training that licensed acupuncturists receive by the public and other established medical professionals.
By creating an overarching recognition of the merits of our profession in federally funded health care, this has the potential to affect legislation on a state level, especially in states where laws for the practice of acupuncture are not clearly defined or lacking. A nationally accepted bill may force change in these states to advance the status of licensed acupuncturists to be accepted as respected medical practitioners. In states where acupuncture laws are more progressive, this bill could be helpful to protect and expand our scope of practice as acupuncture services become more of a mainstay in the current system.
To date, the development of acupuncture in the military has affected my practice in an indirect way as it has helped to provide a reputable source of acceptance that filters into the mainstream media and perception of acupuncture by the conventional medical institution. I live in Manhattan, right around the block from the local VA hospital and have volunteered there for several years. Even so, I have not had the opportunity to treat veterans with acupuncture. In the past, I’ve spoken to the head of the acupuncture department there who mentioned that there is a long waitlist to receive acupuncture for pain management yet they do not refer out to licensed acupuncturists, despite the demand and positive treatment outcomes recorded. Recent developments with the VA Mission Act of 2018 may be enough on it’s own to increase acupuncture services offered by licensed acupuncturists to veterans, however, the passing of the Acupuncture for Heroes and Seniors Act of 2017 will place a focus specifically on acupuncture and will open up a clearer path for me and fellow licensed acupuncturists to participate in treating veterans.