| This is the seventh incarnation of this legislation. Bills expire at the end of each Congressional Session, which last two years. The current 2005-2006 Session version of this Bill will be numbered HR 818 (the number depends upon order of introduction). As with previous versions of the legislation, this Bill is being held in committee, waiting for enogh demand to move it. Specifically, we need one hundred co-sponsors to get the bill heard in committee. |
| CAOMA has been an active advocate for this important piece of legislation for years. As a result of our grass roots lobbying, nearly twenty Congressional Representatigves from California have signed the bill as co-sponsors, making up the majority of support. We now have more cosponsers than the bill has ever had. CAOMA has expanded its attention nationwide, and is hoping that this is the year that we get 100 sponsors and this bill will move out of Committee. Simultaneously, we are actively working to get an indentical bill introduced in the Senate. |
| MediCare Updates |
| 47th, 48th, & 49th Co-Sponsors from Pennsylvania, California, New Mexico |
| September 27, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representatives Robert Brady of Pennsylvania, Hilda Solis of California, and Tom Udall of New Mexico, become the 47th, 48th, and 49th co-sponsors of H.R. 818. |
| 45th & 46th MediCare Co-Sponsors from Texas, Maryland |
| September 20, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representatives Ron Paul of Texas and Roscoe Bartlett of Mayland become the 45th and 46th co-sponsors of H.R. 818. |
| 41 California Congressional Representatives Remain Uncommitted |
| September 7, 2005 - Washington, DC - Forty-one (41) members of the California congressional delegation are not co-sponsors of H.R. 818. |
| 24 Co-Sponsors of 2004 MediCare Bill Remain Uncommitted in 2005 |
| August 24, 2005 - Washington, DC - 24 Co-sponsors of H. R. 1477 from the 2003/2004 Session of Congress are still not co-sponsors of H.R. 818 in the current 109th Congress |
| A Message to Acupuncturists from Robert Marcus |
| August 10, 2005 - Washington, DC - Lobbyist Robert Marcus pleas for help in the passage of HR 818. |
| 43rd & 44th MediCare Co-Sponsors from Oregon, New York |
| July 12, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representatives DeFazio of Oregon and Maloney of New York become 43rd & 44th co-sponsors of H.R. 818. |
| 42nd MediCare Co-Sponsor from CA Signs on for Fifth Time |
| June 30, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California become the 42nd co-sponsor of H.R. 818. |
| Three New MediCare Co-Sponsors from CA, FL, MA |
| June 22, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representatives Honda of CA, Brown of FL, and Olver of MA became bring co-sponsorhip of the Acupuncture MediCare legislation to 41. |
| 38th and 39th Co-Sponsors of MediCare Bill from VI, CA |
| June 9, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representatives Christensen of VI and Sanchez from CA become the 38th and 39th co-sponsors of the MediCare Acupuncture Bill, H.R. 818. |
| Three New Co-Sponsors of MediCare Bill from NJ, VA, MD |
| May 26, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representatives Holt of NJ, Moran of CA, and Van Hollen of MD bring number of co-sponsors of H.R. 818 to 36. |
| Oregon's Earl Blumenauer 33rd Co-Sponsor of MediCare Bill |
| April 26, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representative Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from the 3rd District of Oregon, becomes 33rd co-sponsor of H.R. 818. |
| Jeb Bradley of New Hampshire 32nd Co-Sponsor of MediCare Bill |
| April 19, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representative Joe Bradley, a Republican from the 1st District of New Hampshire, becomes 32nd co-sponsor of H.R. 818. |
| 8 New Representatives Co-Sponsor MediCare Bill |
| Mar. 11, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representatives from FL, AZ, IL, NY, GU, MD, and CA singed on to co-sponsor HR 818 in the three weeks since its introduction. |
| California Congressional Reps Support MediCare Bill |
| February 28, 2005 - Los Angeles, CA - The Los Angeles Daily News reported on support for HR 818 (Hinchey) to include acupuncture in MediCar. |
| Hinchey Reintroduces Legislation to Expand Acupuncture Coverage |
| Feb. 22, 2005 - Washington, DC - Hinchey reintroduces the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act for 2005 |
| Hinchey Set to Introduce Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005 |
| Feb. 10, 2005 - Washington, DC - Hinchey Set to Re-introduce Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act with 23 Co-Sponsors! |
| 108th Congress Ends with a Record 63 Co-Sponsors on Acupuncture Bill |
| Dec. 30, 2004 - Washington, DC - 108th Congress Ends with 63 Representatives Co-sponsoring the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act |
| MediCare Bill Alive and Well with 52 Co-Sponsors |
| Sept 21, 2004 - Washington, DC - MediCare Bill Alive and Well with 52 Congressional Co-sponsors |
| MediCare Lobbyist Needs Help from New Mexico |
| Dec. 1, 2003 - Washington, DC - The Federal Acupuncture (in MediCare) Coverage Act Needs Citizen Support |
| California Takes Leads Promoting MediCare Coverage for Acupuncture |
| October 15, 2003 - CAOMA and AOMNC Challenge Practitioners from California and other States to Support the Hinchey Federal Acupuncture Bill |
| Lobbyist Reports on MediCare and Acupuncture |
| July 27, 2003 - Washington DC - CAOMA and AOMNC took the lead to gain coverage for qualified acupuncturist services under Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program |
| CAOMA Commits to MediCare Coverage for Acupuncture |
| July 22, 2003 - CAOMA and AOMNC contract with advocate Bob Marcus and Associates to gain coverage for qualified acupuncturist services under Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program |
| House Bill 818 |
| The Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005 |
| Text of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005: |
| HR 818 Co-Sponsors |
| Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005 HR 818 Co-Sponsors |
| State Listing of Co-Sponsors |
| Fact sheet about HR 818 - The Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005 |
| HR 818 Fact Sheet |
| Fact sheet about HR 818 - The Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005 |
| HR 818 FAQs |
| Frequently asked questions about HR 818 - The Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005 |
| How to Support HR 818 |
| How to Support the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005 (HR 818) |
| Sample Letter of Support for HR 818 |
| Sample Letter to Your Congressional Representative Asking them to Co-Sponsor HR 818 |
| CAOMA MediCare Lobbyist Bob Marcus Needs Your Help |
| Lobbyist and advocate Bob Marcus needs your help to promote Co-Sponsors for HR 818 |
| Find Your Representative |
| Link to US Congress to find your Congressional Representative |
| Official Bill Status |
| Link to US Congress to find the current status of HR 818. |
| Prior (2003) House Bill 1477 |
| Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2003 |
| Text of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2003 |
| HR 1477 Official Co-Sponsor List |
| December 1, 2004 - Link to list of Co-Sponsors of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2003 - HR 1477 |
| HR 1477 Congressional Cosponsors |
| November 22, 2003 - State listing of Co-Sponsors of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2003 |
| California Congressional Representatives |
| October 15, 2003 - A list of the thirty-nine (39) members of the California congressional delegation who are not co-sponsors of H. R. 1477. |
| How to Support HR 1477 |
| July 28, 2003 - Report to the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Community about the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2003 (H. R. 1477) |