Federal: HR1667

Bill Summary

US HR1667, the Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act of 2025, amends the Social Security Act to expand Medicare coverage to include acupuncture services provided by licensed acupuncturists and physicians authorized to perform acupuncture. The bill defines qualified acupuncturist services and establishes licensure or certification standards through the Secretary of Health and Human Services for states without specific acupuncture licensure requirements. Coverage would begin 270 days after enactment, with payment structured under the physician fee schedule for independent practitioners and separate payment mechanisms for institutional providers. The legislation treats qualified acupuncturists as healthcare practitioners within the Medicare system, formally recognizing acupuncture as a covered treatment modality for seniors.

Why It Matters to MAHA

MAHA strongly supports this bill because it expands patient autonomy and access to innovative, evidence-supported treatment options that seniors currently cannot access through Medicare. Acupuncture represents a non-pharmaceutical therapeutic approach with demonstrated efficacy for pain management and other conditions, directly advancing health freedom by giving patients more choices beyond conventional pharmaceutical interventions. The bill removes a regulatory barrier that has artificially limited treatment options for seniors, allowing them to pursue integrated care approaches that may reduce reliance on opioids and other medications. By expanding coverage based on state licensure standards or HHS certification, the legislation respects practitioner credentials while broadening the healthcare toolkit available to Medicare beneficiaries, aligning with MAHA principles of patient choice and access to diverse healing modalities.