Bill would include acupuncture in Medicare coverage
New legislation in the U.S. Congress (HR 646) would make Medicare participants eligible for lower cost, safe, preventative medicine-acupuncture. This could provide access to acupuncture therapy for up to 56 million people covered by Medicare. The Obama administration has shown openness to including acupuncture in national health care reform. Click on the link at right to learn more and participate in a poll. And please consider writing your federal legislators asking them to support HR 646.

Equal Access to Acupuncture passes in Minnesota
A new bill providing greater access to acupuncture services has passed the Minnesota legislature and been signed by Gov. Pawlenty. The bill states that if a health care policy covers acupuncture, the policy must cover those services when delivered by a licensed acupuncturist. Currently, some insurers only cover acupuncture from MDs or chiropractors, who have far less training than licensed acupuncturists. Health Partners is currently the only insurer who pays acupuncturist directly. This change will open greater access to acupuncture for patients covered by Blue Cross, Medica and other private insurers. The bill was enacted in honor of Edith Davis, a pioneer of acupuncture in Minnesota and nationally. Davis was one of the first acupuncturists in the state, founded an acupuncture school, and served on Minnesota national acupuncture associations and commissions. She died last year.

Acupuncture superior to standard treatment alone in treating mixed pelvic/back pain during pregnancy
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, March 2008

A recent study establishes the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating the common and often disabling issue of pelvic and back pain during pregnancy. According to the study authors, "Acupuncture, as an adjunct to standard treatment, was superior to standard treatment alone and physiotherapy in relieving mixed pelvic/back pain. Women with well-defined pelvic pain had greater relief of pain with a combination of acupuncture and standard treatment, compared to standard treatment alone or stabilizing exercises and standard treatment. To read an abstract of the study, click here: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Evidence favors acupuncture for pain relief
Star Tribune, March 31, 2005

"...a growing body of evidence from brain scans, ultrasound maps and other techniques shows that acupuncture triggers direct, measurable effects on the body, perhaps including activation of precisely the regions of the brain that would be predicted by ancient Chinese theory. This is potentially good news for the millions of Americans now scrambling for pain relief in the wake of conflicting government recommendations on painkillers Vioxx and Celebrex.

Acupuncture Shows Promise in Treating Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Annals of Internal Medicine, December 21, 2004

In one of the largest trials of its kind published to date, researchers in Maryland have found that acupuncture applied to specific points on the leg can provide significant pain relief and improve function in patients who have osteoarthritis of the knee. The results of the trial, published in the the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggest that acupuncture may be a safe, effective therapy that can be used in conjunction with other forms of care in the treatment of osteoarthritis, and that it has the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of people who suffer from the condition.

To read an abstract of the study, click here: Annals of Internal Medicine

Study: Acupuncture better than massage for chronic neck pain
British Medical Journal, June 30, 2001

The results of a randomized trial of neck pain patients published in the British Medical Journal, suggests that acupuncture provides greater short-term pain relief and increases range of motion better than traditional massage techniques.

To read an abstract of the article, click here: British Medical Journal