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Letter: Proposed licensing change for acupuncturists is misguided and detrimental

(Lenny Ignelzi | The Associated Press) This Oct. 28, 2009 photo shows Christine Kinsella, a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist, treating patient Cynde Durnford-Branecki during an acupuncture treatment in San Diego. Durnford-Branecki prefers acupuncture to pain pills, and her insurance covers treatments.

I suffer from multiple chronic illnesses. One of the best treatments for symptoms of all of these is acupuncture. Unfortunately, my insurance plan doesn’t cover it (few plans do) and that means I need to pay out of pocket. I have found a wonderful community clinic, Wasatch Acupuncture, with a sliding payment schedule that makes the treatment I need affordable. Its providers are caring, skilled, and professional.

Utah is considering introducing an additional requirement to acupuncture licenses that will require practitioners to spend two extra years in school to study Chinese herbs (even if they will not use herbs in their practice). This means acupuncturists will be in school longer, will pay more in tuition and may have more debt to pay off when they graduate, so they may need to charge more money. It also means acupuncturists may choose to leave Utah to work in a state with different requirements, and it will be harder for patients like me to find someone to treat them.

I urge the state of Utah to reconsider this licensing change.

Cynthia Sillitoe, Ogden

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By Cynthia Sillitoe | The Public Forum