Legislative Sessions 2023-2024 (193rd)
The ASM continues to help push two important bills through the house and senate with the support of our sponsors. The Massachusetts legislature will be considering and voting on these bills. Both bills are critical to the acupuncture profession, for both practitioners and patients.
One bill is related to Dry Needling – view FACT SHEET
What It is: An Act Relative to the Safer Treatment of Pain
H 2270 & S 1355 (has house and senate versions of the bill)
Sponsors: Rep. Jon Santiago and Senator Julian Cyr
What It Does: This legislation would ensure that those providing pain treatment with acupuncture/filiform needles are properly licensed and trained and will require licensed health care providers to have adequate training and independent testing to validate their skills.
2/16 Referred to the Committee on Public Health
7/26 Hearing was cancelled
9/20 A hearing of the Joint Committee on Public Health. Amy Mager and Robert Surabian gave their testimony for the bill. Now the Committee will decide whether to move this bill along in the process.
10/23 Robert Surabian & Amy Mager, functioning as DN Co-Chairs, and our lobbyist Dan Delaney met with the Chair of the DPH/Department of Public Health, their lawyers, the ED of the BOAH (oversees refs for PTs, ATCs and OTs) and their lawyers and the ED of the DPL (Department of public licensure) and their lawyers to ask for support around reaching consensus on allied health practitioners performing dry needling in a regulated and safe way vs. the currents situation of practicing with zero regulations. Read more
One bill is related to Acupuncture Insurance
What It is: An Act Relative to the Practice of Acupuncture
H 1120 & S 722 (has house and senate versions of the bill)
Sponsor: Smitty Pignatelli
What it Does:
-Mandates insurance coverage for acupuncture in MA for the treatment of pain, nausea, PTSD, and to treat opioid addiction
-Establishes a commission on acupuncture and wellness within the public health department
-Covers state employees (about 200,000 people)
2/16 Referred to the Committee on Financial Services