NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A2462A
SPONSOR: Bronson
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the workers' compensation law and the education law, in
relation to the care and treatment of injured employees by licensed or
certified acupuncturists
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill authorizes the care and treatment of injured employees by a
duly licensed and registered acupuncturist under the workers' compen-
sation program.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new Section 13-p to the Workers' Compensation law to
include licensed acupuncturists as eligible providers of treatment under
the workers' compensation program.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The medical field of acupuncture provides positive health benefits to
patients where traditional treatments have not been successful. The
opportunity for patients to receive acupuncture services should not be
denied in cases where physicians determine that the patient would bene-
fit from the treatment.
Acupuncturists in New York are granted licensure upon demonstration that
they possess the professional skills and expertise required to assure
quality of care and responsible practice of medicine. To be licensed in
New York, acupuncturists not only must have national certification, and
meet state education requirements, but they must also have extensive
acupuncture clinical experience in general health problems, diagnosis
and treatment.
Current state workers' Compensation law allows for only licensed physi-
cians and psychologists to be reimbursed for services. This bill allows
those patients who would benefit most to receive specialized medical
treatment from qualified acupuncturists.
The bill would not result in increased costs to the state, since the
need for acupuncture would be determined by a physician as an alterna-
tive to other treatments, and not by the patient.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Vetoed 2014
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law, provided, that effective immediately, the addi-
tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rules and regulations necessary to
implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are author-
ized and directed to be completed on or before such effective date.