This is an update on the naturopathic doctor legislative effort in Massachusetts as of March 24, 2016.
We passed favorably out of the Joint Committee on Public Health on Friday, February 26th, so we are over that first hurdle.
Next stop: The Joint Committee for Health Care Financing.
I have meetings set up with each co-chair who I have spoken with in previous efforts and I believe are both supportive, as the same bill passed through this committee in the previous session.
One of our association members did have a chance to meet face to face at a fundraiser for Governor Baker recently and I believe made a good impression.
We do have strong support from both my State Senator who is the Senate President---Stan Rosenberg & from Speaker of the House, Deleo. We also have support from the Governor's appointees, Monica Bharel, MD, who is the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health (where our board would reside) & from the cabinet position woman, Mary Lou Sudders, Secretary of Health and Human Services. We just need to (once again!) get through both chambers of the legislature.
If you have questions, please email me.
Our bill, newly re-numbered as Senate Bill 2148, is in a very good place this time around and our chances of achieving fulllicensure for naturopathic doctors in the state has never been better!
We have been working on this bill for over 2 decades and it has been vetted from every angle.
Find link to our Fact Sheet and History of the Bill.
Dr. Amy Rothenberg
President, MA Society of Naturopathic Doctors