Entrepreneurial physicians and health care professionals involved in complementary and integrative clinical practices find health freedom laws expanding across the U.S.

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News from the NHFA about health freedom action around the country:

National Health Freedom Action

Working for Your Access to
the Health Care of Your Choice

National Health Freedom Action is working hard this legislative session with groups in a number of states on health freedom projects. Sometimes we don’t even have enough hours in the day to keep you all updated.  So here are some of the HOT SPOTS right now in a number of states, with great folks around the country advocating for health freedom on many levels. 

Many of these groups have effective materials developed for opposition or support of particular bills, and we have provided conference calls, analysis, drafts or strategic amendments whenever possible.  It is an honor to be working with such great teams!!!!:

State Hot Spots for Action

OPPOSE Nevada:  AB 289 – New Dietitian licensing bill banning nutrition recommendation speech.

OPPOSE Nevada:  SB 412 – Medical Doctor Homeopathy Board changing to Complementary Integrative Medicine Board and mandating licensure of all "complementary integrative practitioners". The bill calls for criminal charges for all unlicensed practitioners of complementary integrative medicine, defined broadly to include all alternative health care.

IN PROGRESS: North Carolina:  SB 31 – A bill increasing the “practice of medicine without a license” criminal charge from misdemeanor to felony. However, the bill has been amended in the House to retain the misdemeanor charge for practice of medicine without a license and add an additional felony charge for impersonating that you are a medical doctor. The bill passed the House with this amendment, but when sent back the Senate for final concurrence it was rejected, and we believe it is now headed for a conference committee to resolve. This bill has highlighted the importance of continuing our work toward a safe harbor exemption for all natural health practitioners.

OPPOSE North Carolina: S467Restrictive naturopathic doctor licensing bill, with limited exemptions for those persons providing information at their retail, spa, or consulting establishment, but with no exemptions for practitioners who recommend, advise, or treat clients. Also makes it unlawful to use the term “naturopath” without a state license.

OPPOSE Iowa:  SBB 1066/SF 289 – Naturopathic physician licensing banning the practice of naturopathy or the use of the term "naturopath" by unlicensed persons. Click here to take Action.

OPPOSE Arizona:  SB 1175 – Establishing a new category of homeopaths that are not medical doctors, but that want to practice medicine as homeopathic doctors. Click here to read why NHFA opposes licensure for homeopaths.

SUPPORT Arizona:  SB 1382 which deletes the title "homeopath" from the criminal violations section of current Arizona law

SUPPORT Michigan :   In process of introducing a health freedom exemption bill for unlicensed practice

SUPPORT Minnesota:  SF 147/HF 255 – Raw milk bill ensuring the right of farmers to deliver their already legally sold-on-the-farm raw milk to their direct farm-to-consumer customers without license.

SUPPORT Ohio :  Re-introducing their health freedom exemption bill for unlicensed practice of medicine

SUPPORT Texas :  HB 1716/SB 1040   Complementary and Alternative Health Care Services Health Freedom exemption bill for unlicensed practice of medicine

SUPPORT Wisconsin :   Introducing their Consumer Access to Wellness Choices exemption to unlicensed practice of medicine

CONCLUDED: Colorado defeated a Naturopathic Physician bill after many attempts to work out an agreeable solution.

CONCLUDED: Montana defeated an unlicensed practice of medicine bill which would have created civil penalties and easier actions against unlicensed practitioners.

CONCLUDED: Virginia defeated a restrictive naturopathic licensing bill.

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Michael H. Cohen is an experienced business law and health care law attorney ho has taught health care law and policy at Harvard University and counseled many different kinds of practitioners and businesses, including:

  • physicians (MD’s and DO’s)
  • physician groups, hospitals, and clinical facilities
  • integrative medicine centers
  • professional health care educational institutions and associations
  • dentists
  • registered nurses and advanced practice nurses
  • clinical psychologists
  • chiropractors
  • acupuncturists
  • massage therapists
  • homeopathic physicians and homeopaths
  • naturopathic doctors and naturopaths
  • energy healers, hypnotists, medical intuitives
  • dietary supplement manufacturers and distributors
  • cosmetics manufacturers
  • entrepreneurs and start-ups
  • publishers
  • wellness clinics
  • herbalists
  • bio-energy companies
  • medical device inventors
  • telemedicine enterprises
  • many varieties of businesses

As an attorney  at the cutting edge of health care and business law, he represents enterprises whose leaders are conscious and committed to a better world.  He provides legal and regulatory expertise to a multitude of businesses and corporations, as well as to attorneys and law firms involved in various health care legal issues including:

  • fee-splitting, Stark and anti-kickback
  • medical board or other professional discipline
  • negligence, informed consent, and medical malpractice liability
  • HIPAA and patient privacy issues
  • Medicare (including opting out vs. participation vs. non-participation)
  • professional liability insurance and insurance (billing and coding) issues
  • telemedicine, tele-psychiatry and telehealth
  • other legal and regulatory compliance issues.

To speak with a lawyer about health care law issues pertaining to complementary and alternative medicine, or to consult a business lawyer about laws and legal issues for entrepreneurs and new enterprises that are seeking legal advice, contact attorney Michael H. Cohen today.