San Francisco: HMO Coverage of Acupuncture

In 1995, San Francisco passed legislation to provide its employees with health-insurance coverage for acupuncture and prescribed herbs. The intent was to encourage HMOs to integrate traditional Chinese medicine into Western medical care--which could benefit many people other than city employees. But the law was implemented differently, with San Francisco providing separate coverage to its employees through self-insurance, not through HMOs.

New legislation, supported by major labor unions representing San Francisco employees, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, and others, would require HMOs which sell health coverage to employees of the City and County of San Francisco to offer coverage of acupuncture and prescribed herbs to these employees.

For more information, and to learn how San Francisco residents can support this measure, contact George Wedemeyer, 415-487-9377