232 lines
13 KiB
XML
232 lines
13 KiB
XML
import Article from "@/components/Article";
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const ArticleAcupunctureLetter = () => {
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return (
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<Article title="Acupuncture Letter" author="">
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<h2>
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TO: Members of The White House Commission On Complementary and
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Alternative Medicine Policy
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</h2>
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<p>FROM: Marshall H. Sager, D.O.</p>
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<p>President-Elect</p>
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<p>The American Academy Of Medical Acupuncture</p>
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<p>DATE: November 28, 2000</p>
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<p>
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RE: December 5-6 Commission Meeting on Guidance for Access to, Delivery
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of, and Reimbursement for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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Practices and Interventions.
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</p>
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<h2>INTRODUCTION</h2>
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<p>
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The ancient medical modality of acupuncture is rapidly evolving as an
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effective complimentary paradigm within the framework of modern American
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medicine. Since President Nixon’s trip to China in 1972, and the New
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York Times’ James Reston’s dramatic appendectomy during that trip,
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interest in, and the popularity of, acupuncture has surged in America.
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This popular pressure has led to scientific investigation of
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acupuncture’s physiologic impact by the World Health Organization and,
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most recently, by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Studies by
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these august bodies have concentrated on pain management and various
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disease entities and health problems as well as the integration of
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acupuncture into contemporary medical practice. The results of these
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studies have been positive and enlightening, lending credence to the
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efficacy of acupuncture – a medical paradigm which has persisted for
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more than 5,000 years.
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</p>
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<p>
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Medical Acupuncture, as distinguished from acupuncture, is the clinical
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discipline of acupuncture as practiced by a physician who is also
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trained and licensed in western bio-medicine. With its foundation in
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ancient Chinese medical theory and practice, Medical Acupuncture has
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become a therapeutic partner with conventional western bio-pharmacology.
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A physician who practices Medical Acupuncture offers a uniquely
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comprehensive approach to patient health care – an approach that
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combines western and eastern medical modalities. In other words — the
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best of both worlds.
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</p>
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<p>
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Physicians who practice Medical Acupuncture treat as wide a spectrum of
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medical challenges as do their western bio-medically-oriented
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counterparts. The distinction lies in basic philosophy. While western
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physicians treat problems people have, the Medical Acupuncture physician
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treats people with problems. With Medical Acupuncture, the concentration
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is on the well-being and health of the whole person. The goal is to
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restore the individual to a state of balance and harmony within
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him/herself and with his/her environment. This is in contrast to the
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traditional western medical approach which concentrates on ameliorating
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or combating a particular problem or symptom. As the Medical Acupuncture
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physician is well versed in both western and eastern paradigms, he/she
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can combine acupuncture effectively with conventional medical or
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surgical interventions.
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</p>
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<p>
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The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA) has experienced an
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approximately 20 percent annual membership increase over the last 5
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years. Its current membership is nearly 2,000 physicians. As the only
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medical specialty society for physicians practicing acupuncture in North
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America, the AAMA is a leader in establishing and maintaining the
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highest standards of training and continuing education in practice of
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Medical Acupuncture. The AAMA is committed to the pursuit of excellence
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in this field of medicine and will continue to maintain this ideal as
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its highest priority.
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</p>
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<p>
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Just as there are many sub-specialties within western medicine, so there
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are multiple disciplines within the practice of Medical Acupuncture and
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all of them are represented in the AAMA’s membership. The training and
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practice requirements for membership in the AAMA are based on
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international standards and serve as a model for state licensure of
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medical acupuncture physicians, hospital practice privileges, liability
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coverage and third party reimbursement.
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</p>
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<h2>DEFINITION OF MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE AND PHYSICIAN RIGHTS</h2>
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<p>
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Acupuncture practice by physicians falls within the scope of the
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practice of medicine. Medical acupuncture specifically represents the
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use of acupuncture by fully trained and licensed physicians. By
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effectively combining the practices of western and eastern medicine, the
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Medical Acupuncturist fills a unique and critical role in patient care.
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Once again, we reiterate – the best of both worlds.
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</p>
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<p>
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The AAMA adamantly believes that appropriately trained Medical
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Acupuncture physicians must be permitted to use his/her knowledge and
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skill to benefit his/her patients. Healing is both an art and a science.
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The ability to help and to heal is the ultimate privilege. This ability
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must not be abridged or curtailed in any way. Understanding the depth of
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commitment of physician acupuncturists and regulating their practice
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rights must come from one’s peers. Therefore, the AAMA contends that, as
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is the case with any other medical specialty, regulation of physicians
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practicing acupuncture must come only from medical boards.
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</p>
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<p>
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Incredulously, the medical acupuncturists’ private practice rights are
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currently threatened by the restructuring of health care delivery and
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reimbursement. The AAMA seeks protection of the physician
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acupuncturists’ rights, appropriate endorsement by the conventional
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medical establishment and recognition by health care providers of
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medical acupuncture physicians whose practice may be uniquely different
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from that of their other medical colleagues as well as non-physician
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acupuncture practitioners.
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</p>
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<h2>ACUPUNCTURE QUALIFICATIONS FOR PHYSICIANS </h2>
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<p>
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The AAMA requires all members to be graduates of accredited American
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medical schools with more that 4,000 hours of allopathic education and
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licensed to practice medicine in their State. In addition, the AAMA
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requires 200 hours of formal, approved acupuncture instruction,
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consisting of 120 hours of didactic education and 80 hours of clinical
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training followed by two years of clinical acupuncture practice.
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Satisfaction of each and every one of these requirements entitles a
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physician acupuncturist to Full Practice Membership in the AAMA. The
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AAMA also requires each member physician to fulfill 50 hours of approved
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continuing education in acupuncture every three years.
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</p>
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<p>
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These requirements are consistent with the world-wide standards
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established by the World Health Organization and the World Federation of
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Acupuncture/Moxibustion Societies.
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</p>
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<p>
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After completing comprehensive training, medical acupuncture physicians
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are eligible to sit for an exhaustive examination which could lead to
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board certification through the American Board of Medical Acupuncture.
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This examination is the most comprehensive measure of expertise in the
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multiple disciplines of acupuncture in the world.
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</p>
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<p>
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COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ACCESS, DELIVERY AND
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REIMBURSEMENT
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</p>
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<p>
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It is of little value to have the potential for receiving the best
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medical care in the world if access to that care it is routinely
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blocked. This is precisely the case with delivery of Medical Acupuncture
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services throughout America. And this problem is critically and sadly
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magnified for the elderly — those who would most benefit from easy
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access to Medical Acupuncture.
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</p>
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<p>
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Reimbursement for Medical Acupuncture services is sparse, at best in
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21st century America. Essentially, these medical services are limited to
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those patients who can afford to pay out of pocket. While physicians are
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routinely reimbursed by third party payers for conventional Western
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medical paradigm related services such as Evaluation and Management
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(E&M), rehabilitation, inoculations and the like, payment for and
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access to the ancient, well-respected and effective medical practice and
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intervention of Medical Acupuncture is generally precluded. This is
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illogical and disturbing, especially when we consider caring for our
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elderly – those who could benefit significantly from easy access to
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Medical Acupuncture therapy. Let us not forget that the elderly suffer
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from chronic and painful problems which are often uncontrolled by
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bio-pharmaceuticals. Let us also not forget that our elderly are most
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likely to suffer from drug interactions and adverse side effects. And
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finally, let us not forget that Medical Acupuncture is side-effect free,
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painless and effective. Those of us who care respectfully request — no,
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we demand that this inequity be remedied.
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</p>
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<p>
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Unfortunately, there is no “quick fix’ to this problem. It must begin
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with today’s medical students and extend to continuing medical education
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programs throughout the nation. Medical students and physicians must be
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educated about the use and effectiveness of all complimentary medical
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modalities, especially Medical Acupuncture. And they must understand
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that, when administered by a licensed physician, Medical Acupuncture is
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an ideal compliment to traditional western drug and surgical
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interventions. They must understand its benefits and applications so as
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to be able to inform their patients of the conventional, complimentary
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and alternative medical options and choices available to them. And they
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must understand that Medical Acupuncture is not a threat to their
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practice, it is an enhancement to their success.
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</p>
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<p>
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In the present medical reimbursement climate, knowledgeable physicians
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who prescribe complimentary and alternative medical interventions must
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constantly weigh the insurance coverage considerations against the
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out-of-pocket burden both for themselves and their patients. Being able
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to assess every patient from both Western and Eastern vantage points
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represents a remarkable advantage for the patient. Again, we repeat, the
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best of both worlds. Insuring that physician acupuncturists are
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appropriately compensated for their expertise and time insures the
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integrity of the practice of Medical Acupuncture and the safety of the
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patients. The best and the brightest will not be able to afford the
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extraordinary amount of time and emotional commitment to learning this
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complex paradigm if they will not be appropriately compensated at the
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end of their efforts.
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</p>
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<p>
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This fact of non-reimbursement for physician acupuncturist is causing a
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strain on our healthcare system. The fact that most health care plans do
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not reimburse for physician acupuncturists has forced patients from
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their primary medical care providers and out of the healthcare system.
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This tends to fractionalize health care – a less than desired condition.
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Furthermore, a disparity in health care delivery that borders on
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discriminatory is created with the poor patient unable to participate
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because of limited out-of- pocket resources.
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</p>
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<p>
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Finally, we must look at hospital care in America. Earlier I mentioned
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famed columnist James Reston. In China, he benefited from acupuncture
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analgesia and anesthesia. Yet in America there is a virtual dearth of
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Medical Acupuncture in the hospital setting. This must be changed.
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Hospitalized patients can benefit enormously from Medical Acupuncture to
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alleviate pain and expedite recovery. Medical Acupuncture saves money.
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Patients recover faster. Post hospitalization office visits are reduced.
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Everyone benefits.
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</p>
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<p>
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In fact, that’s the main point of my presentation. Medical Acupuncture
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creates win-win scenarios. Patients benefit by a speedy recovery and
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bio-pharmaceutical reduction. Surgeons benefit because their patients
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heal faster. Hospitals benefit because of shorter hospital stays. The
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public benefits because of reduced health care costs. A win-win all
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around.
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</p>
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<p>Thank you for your time and consideration.</p>
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<em>Marshall H. Sager, D.O.</em>
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</Article>
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);
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};
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export default ArticleAcupunctureLetter;
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