Minnesota Acupuncture Students & Practitioners Fight for Equal Access to Acupuncture at the State Capitol

By Hilary Patzer, AAAOM-SO Central Region Director & NWHSU AAAOM-SOCC President, and Jennie Sweeney, NWHSU AAAOM-SOCC Vice-President

The local AAAOM-SOCC (Student Organization College Chapter) at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, MN, helped to organize a lobby day at the capital. Their efforts came to light on March 4th, 2008 when they met at the state capital and lobbied for “Equal Access.” The chapter felt it was important to become involved in this particular legislative issue for three main reasons. First, currently third party payers do cover acupuncture under their health plans. However, they limit their reimbursement to MDs, DOs and DCs, despite the differences in training from acupuncturists. Second, because of the discrepancies in third party reimbursements, the majority of the public is limited to the acupuncture treatments of an MD, DO, or DC. If these providers did not attend a 3 or 4 year program, the public would not experience the same quality of acupuncture that they would if they were permitted access to licensed acupuncturists. Third, this local chapter felt that it was time for acupuncturists to stand up for their rights and start shaping their own future.

Because the enthusiasm behind this lobbying effort was so vibrant, the hours upon hours of planning were exciting and stimulating rather than burdensome. There is a ton of planning that goes into an effort like this, but it is possible for any school or organization to succeed. Here is a quick list of some of the steps this local chapter used:

  1. Get involved with your state association.
  2. Find out what bills are on the table, what the state association is involved with and what the student body is most interested in.
  3. Ask for help and support from your administration; they can play a vital role.
  4. Call the state capital and reserve a room so you have a home base once you are at the capital.
  5. Make a list of what districts your students are from and who their legislators are.
  6. Make appointments with those legislators, making sure that the legislators know that the students are constituents.
  7. Arrange transportation from your school to the capital (buses).
  8. Schedule an information day at your school about a week before the lobby date to inform and educate the students and faculty on what the bill is and how the day will unfold. Providing a script to the students at this time is beneficial.
  9. Start assembling informational folders that you can leave with the legislators with information on the proposed bill and some information on your school.
  10. Create name tags that state your name and the purpose of your visit.
  11. Warn the volunteer lobbyist that it is going to be completely chaotic, but to” go with the flow” and smile.
  12. Invite alumni, state association members and any supporting members of the public.
  13. Walk into the capital with poise. Dress professionally. You deserve to be there and your bill deserves to be heard. Express to the legislators how important your bill is and be respectful and gracious. The legislators’ schedules are incredibly tight and can change at a moments notice.
  14. If a legislator is not available, talk to their assistants. They are very knowledgeable and helpful. They will present your case and information to the legislator, so be sure to respect their position.

The Northwestern Health Sciences University lobby day was a huge success. The school is still buzzing with the energy and enthusiasm that was generated by taking a stand for our rights. The overwhelming response from the over 100 volunteer lobbyists that day was that the legislators were very positive and supportive. They asked a lot of questions, and they were very engaged and extremely approachable. The student lobbyists, in particular, felt energized as legislators opened their doors and ears to what they had to say.

Even if the “Equal Access” bill is not heard this year, efforts will continue to be made towards the goal. The students, association members, alumni and faculty spoke to over 60 legislators that day. That is 60 more people who now understand what acupuncture is, what it can treat, and the difference between licensed acupuncturists and MDs, DOs and DCs. We learned and accomplished so much that day; it really was a great step forward for AOM!