California Health Freedom Update 6/03
by John D. Melnychuk, RSHom (NA), CCH
Dear California Health Freedom supporter,
Thanks to you, California was successful in passing landmark health freedom legislation last year. As of January 2003, thousands of unlicensed alternative practitioners in California are able to practice and advertise freely under SB577.
Every day practitioners are downloading the CHFC Compliance Package from our website: http://www.californiahealthfreedom.org. If you are a practitioner and have not already done so, please take advantage of the rights and responsibilities of your new-won freedom -- and come into compliance with SB577.
HOWEVER, THE WORK OF THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH FREEDOM COALITION (CHFC)IS STILL NOT DONE
Each year, new legislation is proposed that has the potential to undermine the freedoms won by SB577. The ongoing mission of the CHFC is to monitor legislative developments and protect health freedom in California. We ask for your ongoing support in this mission.
Another part of our mission is to help spread California's success to other states. One of our current initiatives is to raise enough funds to have a CHFC booth at the upcoming National Conference of State Legislatures, which is having their annual meeting in San Francisco on July 21-25th. This is a rare opportunity to showcase SB-577 (which is already serving as a model for health freedom legislation in several other states), and to help maximize its impact nationally.
POTENTIAL THREATS TO SB577
One type of legislation that comes up each year are proposals for licensing health care modalities. For example, naturopathic physicians (practitioners who combine traditional naturopathy with some aspects of traditional allopathic medicine) are currently seeking statewide regulation under SB907, as are massage practitioners under AB1388.
We are not opposed to licensure in principle -- for example, we believe that licensure is needed and necessary for naturopathic physicians to perform the potentially dangerous allopathic (medical) components of their practice. However, we are definitely opposed to any bill that will curtail the rights of unlicensed practitioners to practice under SB577. Unfortunately, regulatory bills often contain language that do have this effect -- some more egregious than others.
The CHFC is committed to oppose any legislation that contains language that would restrict practitioners now practicing under SB577.
We are currently monitoring SB907 (the naturopathic physician licensing bill) and making efforts to assure that it will not affect the practices of traditional naturopaths or any other practitioner. Traditional naturopaths, homeopaths, and other practitioners whose practices overlap with those of naturopathic physicians must be allowed to continue to train, practice, and advertise freely -- to the same level guaranteed by SB577. Similarly, unlicensed massage practitioners must be allowed to continue to practice as well. The CHFC believes that the licensing power of the state is not really necessary unless a practice is potentially harmful. Ideally, only those components of a health care discipline that are potentially harmful should be licensed.
WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We hope that you will continue to support the CHFC's ongoing mission to maintain maximum health freedom and to keep unnecessary state power out of alternative medicine. Won't you support us today by making a contribution to the CHFC? This will help to pay off our debt (still in excess of $40,000), and enable us to pay attorney and lobbying fees as part of our ongoing legislative efforts. It will also help to pay for the booth at the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Please consider adding the CHFC to your yearly contribution list. The coalition is there to protect your health freedom and your right to practice alternative health care in California.
Visit http://www.californiahealthfreedom.org today to find out how to make a contribution online. Or, send a check to the address below.
Thank you!
Best Wishes,
John D. Melnychuk, RSHom (NA), CCH
President, California Health Freedom Coalition
PO Box 186
Palo Alto, CA 94302
Voicemail: 650-352-4533
