Acupuncture in Medicare: Critical Legislation Reintroduced

The "Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act" (H.R. 1667) has been reintroduced by U.S. Representatives Judy Chu and Brian Fitzpatrick in the 119th Congress, aiming to expand senior citizens' access to acupuncture for pain management. While Medicare already recognizes the value of acupuncture and covers it for chronic low back pain since January 2020, acupuncturists currently face supervision requirements that prevent them from directly providing these covered services to beneficiaries. This critical legislation seeks to authorize the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to recognize qualified acupuncturists as Medicare providers, thereby removing these barriers. Advocates like the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) emphasize the urgency of this change, highlighting how it could reduce reliance on invasive surgeries and opioids, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes and lowering costs. The previous version of the bill, H.R. 3133, did not advance, making bipartisan support a key strategy for H.R. 1667's success in the 2025-2026 Congress. With a projected growth in the Medicare beneficiary population, this act is considered crucial for ensuring broader access to safe and effective non-pharmacological pain relief.