To elevate public awareness that there are over 35,000 licensed acupuncturists treating ailments throughout the U.S., the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) are collaborating to promote nationwide observations of the 20th annual Acupuncture Medicine (AM) Day taking place on October 24.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)®, http://www.nccaom.org, and American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA), http://www.asacu.org, are collaborating to promote nationwide observations of the 20th Annual Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (AHM) Day on Oct. 24. In honor of AHM Day. Both organizations have joined forces to encourage research and educate the public about the many benefits of acupuncture and herbal medicine for treating the millions of Americans suffering from pain, addiction, and many other ailments. This year we are celebrating our past in recognition of our 40th Anniversary and embracing our future with a wide array of celebrations at http://www.ahmday.org.
To help advance the medicine and increase access to qualified acupuncturists, the NCCAOM and the ASA are working together with U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) to establish acupuncturists as a Medicare provider group. H.R. 4803, The Acupuncture for our Seniors Act, would authorize the Medicare program to recognize acupuncturists to provide covered acupuncture services to Medicare beneficiaries (those age 65+) without supervision. The passage of H.R. 4803 would increase access to acupuncturists and provide more pain-management options for Medicare beneficiaries. Look for more information about the Medicare-recognition effort the NCCAOM and ASA websites at, https://www.nccaom.org/advocacy-regulatory/, http://www.asacu.org.
"More and more patients are realizing that acupuncture is an effective, non-pharmacologic and low-risk method of treating or controlling chronic conditions. Increasing insurance coverage for acupuncture services helps those seeking a whole person approach to their symptoms. By celebrating Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Day and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of this medicine, we hope to bring further awareness to those in need and through our efforts with Medicare, we hope to improve access." said Olivia Hsu Friedman, DACM, L.Ac., Chair of ASA.
"Consumer use of acupuncture and herbal medicine has increased significantly since NCCAOM was established 40 years ago," said Mina Larson, M.S., MBA, CEO of NCCAOM. "We are so delighted to celebrate this milestone year while continuing to provide greater access through our collaborative Medicare initiative. In honor of AHM Day, patients should ensure that the practitioner they visit is properly trained and is NCCAOM Board-Certified."
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the AHM leadership organizations in the United States. To celebrate this milestone the NCCAOM has partnered with the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA), Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM), and Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (CCAHM) to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the AHM profession. These four pillar organizations in the AHM profession are combining forces to honor our profession's founding practitioners this Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Day 2022. To celebrate the 40th Anniversary, a Reflection Photo Drive has been conducted by ASA and NCCAOM. The drive encourages participants to upload a photo of a leader in the profession, along with a tagline for their achievements and a 250 – 500 words essay about that founding father/mother who has championed one or more of the below categories. The purpose of this celebratory event is to honor those who have led the way in our profession.
The NCCAOM and ASA will co-host a virtual Town Hall meeting to celebrate our 20th Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Day. While the actual AHM Day is October 24th, the live webinar will be on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at 4PM Pacific/6PM Central/7 PM Eastern. Jewel Thais-Williams, MSOM, LAc., Arthur Fan, CMD, PhD, LAc., and Effie Chow, PhD, RN, LAc. will share these fascinating stories. Their inspiring stories highlight the contributions of practitioners in the United States whose work significantly impacts advocacy, community outreach, and the laying of the foundation of our profession. The Twon Hall will be hosted by Afua Bromley, MSOM, LAc, Dipl Ac (NCCAOM) & LiMing Tseng, MAcOM, LAc, Dipl OM (NCCAOM), co-chairs of the NCCAOM & ASA Cultural Competency Task Force.
About ASA
The Mission of the American Society of Acupuncturists, http://www.asacu.org is advancing the professional practice of acupuncture as a whole system of medicine through advocacy, education, and research. Their vision is to see that acupuncturists are valued leaders and partners in the American healthcare system, and patients have equitable access to our care.
About NCCAOM
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)®, http://www.nccaom.org, is a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization established in 1982. NCCAOM certification or a passing score on the NCCAOM certification examinations are documentation of competency for licensure as an acupuncturist by 46 states plus the District of Columbia which represents 98 percent of the states that regulate acupuncture. All NCCAOM certification programs are currently accredited by the National Commission for Certification Agencies (NCCA). To find an NCCAOM National Board-certified Acupuncturist in your area, click on Find a Practitioner at http://www.nccaom.org.
For more information on AHM Day, please visit http://www.ahmday.org.
Media Contact
Olga Cox, NCCAOM, 1 2023811116, [email protected]
SOURCE NCCAOM
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