The Honorable Thomas Calderon
Chair, Assembly Insurance Committee
State Capitol Room 2013
Sacramento, CA 95814
phone: (916) 319-2086 fax: (916) 319-2186
Re: SB 1705 (Burton) - Disability Evalutaion in for Acupuncturist QMEs - Support
Assembly Member Calderon:
SB 1705 would remove the artificial restriction imposed upon Licensed Acupuncturists who choose to qualify and participate as Qualified Medical Evaluators (QME) within the Workers Compensation system. The present restrictions imposed upon Acupuncturist QMEs reviewing the cases of injured workers causes unnecessary logistical problems and delays for injured workers who are entitled to compensation and treatment for work-related injuries. Like the other licensed health care professionals who are defined as "physicians" within the Workers Compensation system, Acupuncturists are occasionally called upon by private insurance companies and injured persons to conduct disability evaluations and to provide expert witness testimony. Why artificially prohibit acupuncturists from providing the same services for injured workers in the Workers Compensation system?
SB-1705 will provide that California Licensed Acupuncturists who have completed additional education as specified and approved by the Industrial Medical Council, and who have taken the IMC exam for Qualified Medical Evaluators in Workers Compensation, would be able to perform disability evaluations, just as other providers are allowed, within our legal scope of practice as specified in Labor Code 3209.3(a). I understand that all current Acupuncturist QMEs would be required to take additional education and retake the exam to continue to participate as QMEs.
These additional educational requirements are more than adequate to address any concerns about the levels of training required to conduct such examinations and evaluations. Acupuncturists who wish to be so qualified would be required to obtain more training in work-related injuries than some other QME health professionals, and may be required to duplicate training they have already received. With these extremely strict educational requirements, it would seem that the only remaining opposition to the full inclusion of acupuncturist QMEs would be from those who are interested in limiting competition or who simply do not understand the practice of Licensed Acupuncturists, many of whom effectively treat a wide variety of work-related injuries.
Please support this legislation that will benefit injured workers and probably result in cost savings to employers.
Sincerely,
cc: Senator John Burton
Council of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Associations (fax : 800-388-2928)