By Erika Schultz, Graduate Intern at AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine
As I look toward 2012, my goals are clear and may be similar to many other students of acupuncture and Chinese medicine – that is, to stay focused on building a career in this profession and learning my role as a healer both on a personal and professional level.
Essential Health Benefits
Erika Schultz, Graduate Intern at AOMA
As I look further ahead to the next couple of years, the question arises as to how the medical profession will evolve in this country – especially as it relates to the tremendous health care reform efforts underway. One important issue that’s the subject of public discussion these days is Essential Health Benefits (EHB).
Under the Affordable Care Act, which ensures Americans have access to quality and affordable health insurance, health plans are required to offer a comprehensive package of items and services to patients, known as “essential health benefits.” Suggested services to be included as “essential health benefits” are emergency services, maternity and newborn care, prescription drugs as well as preventive and wellness services, among others.
Public Input is Needed
On December 16, 2011, under direction of Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that states will have more flexibility and freedom in implementing the Affordable Care Act, including defining which “essential health benefits” will be part of the new health care legislation.
The HHS is currently asking for the public to weigh in on the discussion to determine which benchmark health insurance plan would best meet the needs of people. Comments on “essential health benefits” can be sent to the HHS by email through January 31.
A strong flooding of support by patients will go a long way in grabbing the attention of policymakers in Washington.
Acupuncture as an Essential Health Benefit
The American Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) is proposing the inclusion of acupuncture as an “essential health benefit” for Americans.
Having acupuncture be a part of the definition of Essential Health Benefits (EHB) will go a long way in increasing access and availability to patients, especially those who rely on insurance to pay for all of their health care services.
With acupuncture as an Essential Health Benefits, patients will have access to more treatment options and medical specialists that can address a wide range of conditions, including disease prevention.
Essential Health Benefits Task Force
The AAAOM has set up an EHB task force to support this unique opportunity of making acupuncture more accessible to patients and continues to provide updates on recent developments on their website.
Our best approach to support the inclusion of acupuncture in the Affordable Care Act as an Essential Health Benefit remains at a grassroots level. Practitioners and patients can equally take action to support this important issue.
Take Action Now
There are only a couple of weeks left in the HHS’s “open commenting period”.
If you’re a patient and would like to support AAAOM in their efforts of elevating acupuncture to an “essential health benefit” status, you can send an email to: EssentialHealthBenefits@cms.hhs.gov and ehb@aaaomonline.org
In your email, include one or more of the following points:
- that you have received acupuncture care and that it is effective and essential,
- describe your success story with receiving acupuncture treatments,
- that you would like acupuncture be covered by federal and state insurance plans.
You can also send a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking for the inclusion of acupuncture as an “essential health benefit”. A handy widget on the AAAOM website allows you to send your support in minutes.
If you’re an acupuncture student, you can join the AAAOM Student Organization in Chicago from April 27 to 29 for a unique leadership opportunity. We will discuss ways to move the profession forward, hear from experienced practitioners in the field and learn innovative ways to market our future practices and networks!
Move Acupuncture Care Forward
The opportunity at hand goes way beyond just advocating for acupuncture to be listed as an Essential Health Benefit – it is an opportunity to communicate a powerful message to our political leaders: that this medicine is effective, powerful and needed.
Opportunities to communicate these messages are rare and we must all embrace them as they are presented. This is a crucial time for both practitioners and patients to make progress in our grassroots efforts at campaigning for acupuncture, so let’s make it a New Year’s Resolution to move acupuncture care forward!
Happy 2012!