Stopping the State Chiropractic Board from including acupuncture in a chiropractors scope of practice

In December, 2005 it came to the attention of the TAAOM Board that the State Chiropractic Board was attempting to rewrite the Texas State Chiropractic rules so as to include acupuncture in all chiropractors scope of practice. This was being done without following the appropriate process for hearings and information gathering.

Obviously this was not acceptable to us or the TAAOM Board. Your Board members acted quickly by getting the association’s attorneys involved and stopped this from happening. This is a great example of what membership in this association is worth!!!

Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners (TSBAE) appointment

Leslie Myers, Tx. L.Ac., who has been a TAAOM Board member since 1997 and a member of the association since 1996 is seeking an appointment to TSBAE. Leslie would be an excellent resource for all acupuncturists on this Board. Please call 512.463-2000 (ask for Appointments office) to encourage Governor Perry to appoint Leslie to this position.

2007 Texas State Legislative Session

TAAOM will spend most of this year preparing for the 2007 Texas State Legislative Session. Key issues and concerns will be identified and prepared for review by the TAAOM attorneys and lobbyists.

Keep checking this website for current information regarding issues and ideas for the next State Legislative Session.

2005 Texas State Legislative Session

TAAOM was responsible for the successful passage of two bills during the 2005 Legislative session. Following is a synopsis of those two bills.

If you wish to view either of these bills in their entirety please go to the following website http://www.capitol.state.tx.us. Once you are there under “Bill Action and Vote History”, choose the 79th Regular Session 2005 from the pull down menu and type in either one of the bill numbers and press go. This will take you to the history and also full text of the bill.

HB2371

Provides that an HMO/PPO that already includes acupuncture under their health care plan “may not refuse to provide reimbursement for the performance of a covered acupuncture service solely because the service is performed by an acupuncturist.

* Does not mandate that either HMO’s or PPO’s cover acupuncture services
* Applies only to a policy, certificate, contract or evidence of coverage delivered, issued for delivery or renewed on or after January 1, 2006.

SB419

2005 was the “sunset year” for the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners (TMB) which includes the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners (TSBAE). It is during this sunset year that the activities of these boards are reviewed by the legislature and if deemed unnecessary the board can be abolished. The TMB was not abolished and the role of the TSBAE was strengthened partly through the efforts of TAAOM.

A few key highlights of this bill are:

* The presiding officer of TSBAE is appointed by the governor and now must be an acupuncturist.
* Any new rules regarding the practice of acupuncture should include input from individuals and groups that have an interest in matters under the acupuncture board’s jurisdiction. If there is no input, TSBAE must justify why there is no input.
* The TSBAE now has much more authority to act independently and with less oversight from the TMB.
* Jurisprudence Exam – this is a new requirement for licensure applicants. The exam will be conducted on the licensing requirements an other laws, rules, regulations applicable to the professional practice of acupuncture in this state.
* Discipline – all disciplinary actions for acupuncture are administered by the TSBAE. Prior to this bill these functions were split between the TMB and the TSBAE.