In March we hosted Olivia Hsu Friedman, ASA Chair, DACM, L.Ac. and Mina M. Larson, CEO of the NCCAOM for their FREE webinar, Medicare Roadmap for Licensed Acupuncturists.    

About this webinar:

As of January 2020, The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (better known as CMS) decided to include acupuncture treatment for Low Back Pain. This decision was a gift in many ways but in current form, there are two major concerns.

1. Licensed acupuncturists must be supervised
2. Licensed acupuncturists cannot bill directly

Because Licensed Acupuncturists are currently not recognized as full-fledged practitioners within the Medicare system, our voice and ability to provide full access has limitations. In short, we have all the burdens of Medicare without any of the privileges. In order to change that, we need an act of Congress. Besides the desire to provide full access, we also recognize the reality that Medicare inclusion is also the gateway for many other opportunities within the US healthcare system.

To begin this process, we now must forge a strategic path, align with favorable partners to develop and fortify our voice, unify and direct the profession to work in unison and identify and leverage the optimal timing to blaze our trail and generate the funds to support this effort. To do this, the ASA and NCCAOM leadership and advocacy teams have mapped out the strategic plan, identified a basic timeline and most importantly, defined who is responsible for each step and task.

NCCAOM CEO, Mina Larson and ASA Chair, Olivia Hsu Friedman shared the official Medicare Roadmap.

About Our Speakers:

Dr. Olivia Hsu Friedman earned a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, a diploma in Traditional Chinese Medicine Dermatology from Avicenna UK, and an MSOM from National University of Health Sciences.

Before serving on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Acupuncturists, Dr. Friedman was one of two Illinois delegates to the ASA and served on the Illinois Society of Acupuncturists as Vice President. She serves on the Advisory Board of LearnSkin, the faculty of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Support Group sponsored by the National Eczema Association and the NUHS Presidential Alumni Advisory Board. Dr. Friedman is the owner of Amethyst Holistic Skin Solutions and practices TCM Dermatology utilizing only herbal medicine in Chicago, Illinois.

Mina Larson has served the NCCAOM for the past 18 years, moving up to the Chief Executive Officer position in July 2019. Ms. Larson has devoted many hours overseeing NCCAOM’s Regulatory Affairs Department, partnering with states to adhere to NCCAOM standards for the safe and ethical practice of acupuncture medicine. She also utilizes her years of legislative and government relations experience to advocate for the advancement of NCCAOM certification both at the state and federal level. Ms. Larson also spearheaded the Vision 2020 Plan that resulted in NCCAOM to become paperless, improved staff productivity, and enabled NCCAOM to move their headquarters to Washington D.C. with a focus on advocacy and services for its Diplomates. Prior to arriving at the NCCAOM, she served in former California Governor Pete Wilson’s Executive Office and Communications Office and handled media relations for the California State Assembly. Ms. Larson holds a Master of Science in Non-Profit Association Management and MBA from University of Maryland Global Campus as well as a CAE from ASAE. She also has a dual bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Government from California State University, Sacramento. She has also taught various training workshops throughout the country on improving media relations, marketing and advocacy.