A word from the AANP regarding NDs and Health Care Reform

News From The Office
A Naturopathic Remedy For Health Care Reform
By Karen Howard

With the health care debate at a fever pitch, there is no time like the present for our naturopathic community to unite in voice and action. I am often asked what one person, one doctor, one professional organization can do to impact this Beowulf of an epic legislative battle.

My answer is thus. Stay alert, stay positioned, be nimble in your views and your response. There is no doubt that enactment of insurance reform is treating a symptom of this disease-based system. And yet, you often remind me that alleviating symptoms is often required in order to get to the underlying cause of illness. Here are some key data points for the journey to passage:

In order to keep the government running, Congress must either complete work on 8 more appropriations bills or enact a Continuing Resolution by September 30.

In the Senate, two massive bills from the Senate HELP Committee and the Finance Committee must be finalized and reconciled. Add in three more bills from the House. Time is running out for this year’s session.

The Governors have much at stake. Negotiations around the inevitable expansion of Medicaid beneficiaries, and state costs, the implication for existing state mandates and the inclusion of licensed providers (including NDs), not to mention a new push for Governor’s to enact Tort Reform legislation are critical to passage.

The process for passage, and the ability for the Democrats to maintain the right number of votes, will result in some amazing and complicated parliamentary process and voter confusion.

Inclusion of NDs in any final bill hinges on Senator Ted Kennedy’s replacement, Senator Tom Harkin the new Chair of the Senate HELP Committee and strong advocate for our issues. Sen. Harkin is still working to include ALL licensed providers in whatever the program becomes.

AANP is advocating daily (write your Member of Congress today), updating regularly (click here to find out the latest on our federal legislative efforts [member's only page]), and pursuing every option to expansion of naturopathic medicine through loan repayment programs, student scholarship opportunities, the future “technical amendment” opportunities that will rapidly appear. Congress has initiated a process for achieving wellness.

I ask that you support that process today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes to make the system whole. Our grandchildren’s grandchildren are depending on us.