From the Chair | The Latest | ASA Sponsors | State Associations Updates
From the Chair
Dear Colleagues,
The vibrant energy of spring was the perfect backdrop for our gathering April 25-28, 2025 in Arlington VA, where we held the ASA in-person Council meeting, 2025 Conference, 10th Birthday Celebration and Acupuncture for Our Public Servants event—a joyful and inspiring weekend filled with community, advocacy and just plain fun!
We kicked off with a productive Council meeting, made even more special thanks to the Acupuncture Herbal Vendor Coalition (AHVC), who treated the ASA and CCAHM Council members to a delicious lunch while sharing exciting news about their new formation. We’re grateful for their generosity and commitment to our profession.
The Conference began on a grounded note with Tai Chi led by Justin Flinner, followed by two days of thought-provoking presentations by top notch speakers who shared a myriad of clinical pearls and practical insights to take back to our practices.
Saturday night’s 10th Anniversary Celebration was truly unforgettable, featuring an exquisite 8-course Chinese banquet, stories from ASA’s beginnings, a live DJ, photo booth, dancing, our signature DocJin & Tonic cocktail, and the debut of Social Media Committee Chair Louis Jin’s specially written “Acupuncture Anthem.”
We sincerely thank our vendors, whose sponsorship of speakers and interactive brand experiences made the entire conference possible. A special thanks to Jane App, The Acupuncture for the People Foundation, AHVC, and Golden Flower Chinese Herbs for sponsoring the celebration. During lunch hr on Sunday, ASA BOD member at large, Charis Wolf and Social Medial Committee Chair Louis Jin also hosted a special “Pass the Torch” segment, paying enduring tribute to nearly 30 legends and pioneers of our profession who passed recently, click to view the video replay.
The following Monday, the Acupuncture For Our Public Servants Team led by Amy Mager (please read the Federal Advocacy section for more details) changed more legislators’ minds about the value of H.R.1667.
We are also incredibly fortunate to have all these special moments beautifully captured in photographs by Dickie Walls—thank you for preserving the spirit of the weekend so perfectly.
As life brings change, I’d like to announce that Nichelle Ciere and Jeffrey Bloom have stepped down from their roles as Board Members at Large. I’m deeply grateful for their leadership and contributions to the ASA. On behalf of the association, I wish them both continued success and thank them for their dedication to our mission.
Meanwhile, the ASA continues to advocate on behalf of our profession. In collaboration with our many partners, we’ve been addressing the impact of continuing executive orders, by: 1) distributing a statement via the AHM Coalition regarding action steps you can take in response to the recent Tariffs; 2) submitting a letter via the AHM Coalition to the Department of Education regarding Title IV Negotiated Rulemaking and 3) writing a joint statement opposing the proposed NIH Budget Cuts and Elimination of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health – in progress. You can count on the ASA to do its part to ensure acupuncture remains represented, protected, and supported at the federal level and we are grateful for the opportunity to combine efforts with all of our tremendous partners to that end.
Thank you once again for your invaluable part in making the ASA’s 10th Birthday a reality. Your dedication and commitment to our shared vision are deeply appreciated, and I look forward to all we will continue to achieve and celebrate together!
Best,
Olivia
The Latest – What the ASA Committees are doing right now
State Advocacy Committee – Chair, Jennifer Broadwell
The State Advocacy Committee is a new initiative that was created to better understand and support individual states with their advocacy efforts. We currently manage several projects for the ASA:
Advocacy Toolkit for Members – A library of resources including documents and other tools that can aide in state’s advocacy and organizing efforts.
BillTrack 50 – Is a legislative monitoring tool that allows states to monitor bills at every stage and research members of congress.
State Practice Act Comparison – An ongoing project that documents and analyses the current variations in our state practice acts.
We are looking for additional members that are wanting to work with us to support state advocacy. You can apply here
Federal Advocacy Committee – Chair, Amy Mager
The ASA Hosts its annual Acupuncture for Public Servants event to help Advance Medicare
Recognition with H.R. 1667 on Capitol Hill
The American Society of Acupuncturists, (ASA), is proud to share the results from our 2025 Acupuncture for our Public Servants (AOPS) event that took place on Capitol Hill. On Monday, April 28, a team of 27 licensed acupuncturists and students from the Virginia University of Integrative Medicine provided acupuncture treatments to approximately 120 Congressional staff while educating them on H.R. 1667, the Acupuncture for our Seniors Act. 4/28/25.
A follow-up survey of the AOPS event found the following:
- 100 percent of our respondents had a positive experience. 100 percent of those in attendance are now more inclined to advocate for increased access to Acupuncture.
- 76.2 percent of event participants had never received acupuncture prior to our AOPS event.
- 23.8 percent of respondents had received acupuncture before.
- In response to our question asking if they would recommend Acupuncture to others based on their experience, the most common response was either “Yes” or “ I already sent my colleagues down.”
Due to the 27 volunteers who gave of their time, their life force by educating offices, going to each office and leaving information, by educating those who are coming into the event, for caring for those during the event, making sure they had food and making sure they filled out our survey. We are only as strong as our weakest link and thank you all for showing up and participating!
For more information or if you have any questions please reach out to me at gro.u1747357686casa@1747357686ycaco1747357686vdA1747357686
Conference Committee – Chair, LiMing Tseng
The ASA 2025 Conference, “Cultivating Our Future Together,” celebrated the organization’s 10th anniversary while bringing together 222 participants and 32 industry sponsors in Arlington, Virginia on April 26-27, 2025. A photo recap, including ASA’s Friday Council Meeting, the Saturday and Sunday ASA Conference, Saturday night Banquet dinner, as well as Monday’s Acupuncture for Our Public Servants hosted by Amy Mager, can be found on this album.
The conference featured experts on acupuncture needling techniques, presentations on treatments for special conditions, and updates from industry leaders including ASA, ACAHM, CCAHM, NCCAOM, and the newly formed Acupuncture and Herbal Vendors Coalition (AHVC).
The ASA 2025 Conference & 10th Anniversary celebration balanced educational excellence—offering up to 34 NCCAOM PDAs—with memorable festivities, including over $4,300 in prizes, an 8-course Chinese banquet with dancing, a special musical performance by Louis Jin, and exceptional networking opportunities.
Congratulations to all of our winners! Thank you to all of you who joined us, as we work on cultivating our future together!
Governance Committee – Chair, David Bock
Governance had the opportunity to talk with several member delegates at the conference and will be helping them to update and improve their association bylaws. Also Gov Com is working with the Nominations committee and the BOD to improve the onboarding process for new ASA board members.
Insurance Committee – Chair, Mori West
The Insurance Committee attended the AMA CPT Code meeting and continues to monitor the RUC meetings that follow. We will report back on actions in the next newsletter. We have reached out MULTIPLE times to the VACCN program and are still waiting to get clarification on time limits for recoupment procedures of claims erroneously paid by Triwest. We have also reached out to Aetna to request that we be included in their oversight committee updating their Acupuncture policy.
Membership/Benefits Committee – Chair, Grace Ouchida
The 2025 Membership Certificate and Digital Badge are now available for download in the Members Only section of the ASA website. Members also have access to exclusive discounts on various services, products, and insurance.
Our newest benefit is a partnership with the American Acupuncture Council (AAC), which offers a $100 discount on initial enrollment for Occurrence-type malpractice insurance. More details about this program will be added to the Members Only section soon.
Nominating Committee: Chair, Alexandra Russell
We are accepting 3-4 applications for the NomCom Committee. Use this form to apply for a committee position!
We also invite candidates for ASA Board of Directors – Read this to learn about BOD Positions and how to apply.
Reach out anytime with questions ~ gro.u1747357686casa@1747357686mocmo1747357686n1747357686
Research Committee – Chair, Lisa Conboy
The Research Committee continues to make research summaries for the membership. This month please enjoy a review of a paper concerning Acupuncture in Cancer Care found here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EpSLoezpttG_uEusB71HHoCuzz9SFCF3/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108317779663315397416&rtpof=true&sd=true)
Also we created a Webinar for the annual meeting that reviewed recent published work about the research education in our schools, cost effectiveness of acupuncture, and other new science about the profession.
Social Media Committee – Chair, Louis Jin
The Social Media Committee continues to search individual state-association talented social media contacts to join the national committee, if they have interest, please send Louis an email (gro.u1747357686casa@1747357686aidem1747357686laico1747357686s1747357686“>gro.u1747357686casa@1747357686aidem1747357686laico1747357686s1747357686) or DM (on FB)
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
State Association Updates
California AACMA
California Acupuncture Advocacy Day
On April 22, 2025, the California Acupuncture Coalition (CAC) organized an Advocacy Day at the State Capitol. We covered all 120 legislative offices by meeting or delivering informational packets. Our two key advocacy priorities were:
- Opposing dry needling performed by unlicensed practitioners
- Preserving Medi-Cal funding for acupuncture services
Upcoming Events
➤ 20th San Francisco International Symposium on Chinese Medicine
Theme: Health, Beauty, and Wellness
Date: July 13, 2025
Venue: 3500 Capital Ave., Fremont, CA 94538
Morning Keynote Speakers:
- Xiaoyan Ren (Beijing, China) — “Aesthetic Acupuncture for Anti-Aging”
- Ruibin Shen (Taiwan, China) — “Basic Principles and Clinical Applications of Facial Acupuncture”
- Michelle Gellis (Florida, USA) — “Facial Motor Points: A Multifaceted Approach to Treating Cosmetic and Neuromuscular Facial Conditions”
Afternoon Sessions:
Six expert practitioners will lead live demonstration sessions featuring advanced techniques and clinical applications.
Explore cutting-edge topics and register today: 🔗 https://aacmaonline.com/
➤ 50th Anniversary Celebration
Celebrating 50 Years of Legalized Acupuncture in California
Date: July 13, 2025 (Evening Event)
New Hampshire
NHAAMA has hired a lobbyist to help support legislative efforts in our state which has proven invaluable in our awareness about bills being brought before the house and senate so far this year.
There are two bills we have been watching:
SB 123 Requiring coverage of ear acupuncture as a treatment for substance misuse under the state Medicaid plan and, HB 241 Treatment Alternatives to Opioids. SB 123 is off the calendar for this year and HB 241 is retained in committee at this time.
Currently, Acupuncturists are not Medicaid Providers, and substance misuse treatments are not covered in the state of New Hampshire.
At our most recent virtual Quarterly Meeting on Tuesday April 29th members were invited to participate in open dialogue Q&A as we were joined by two special guests; our lobbyist, Kevin Cavanaugh, and Rep. Dr. David Nagel, MD, the sponsor and author of HB 241.
NHAAMA plans to hold its next virtual Quarterly Meeting on Tuesday July 29th, followed by an in person gathering on Sunday August 3rd in Portsmouth, NH.
New York
ASNY’s annual Spring Banquet will be held Sunday, May 18th at Royal Seafood in NYC’s Chinatown. We will be honoring New York Assembly Member David Weprin for his work advocating for the acupuncture profession, and ASNY member Dan Wunderlich for work with underserved communities.
All are welcome to participate in our hybrid silent auction, https://givebutter.com/c/RdjQ9E/auction.There are great deals on needles, herbs, continuing education classes, books, posters and supplies for your clinic, and you will be helping to support ASNY’s lobbying efforts!
In September, Michelle Gellis will be offering an in-person Facial Acupuncture Training class. Early bird rates are available now! https://asny.org/events/#!event/2025/9/6/facial-acupuncture-certification-course
The cost of this 16 CEU in-person class includes immediate access to Michelle Gellis’ facial gua sha and cupping webinar as well as the microneedling webinar, an additional 14 CEU’s– a $265 value!
ASNY President, Beth Nugent, was interviewed for this New York Times article about the effect of tariffs on our profession, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/09/business/traditional-chinese-medicine-herbs-tariffs.html?unlocked_article_code=1.F08.ecdQ.kSFWQ4oU7qkB&smid=url-share
North Carolina
NC Senate Bill 405: Includes NC Chiropractic Board Power to Establish Chiropractic Acupuncture Certification Standards
NCSAAM was able to successfully rally community support against the bill with efforts including a petition, and a donation drive to hire a lobbyist. Additionally, representatives spoke against the bill at the Senate Health Committee Meeting. The bill has been moved to the Rules Committee for further discussion. Click here for updates and more information.
2025 NCSAAM Spring Symposium: May 30th – June 1st, Asheville, NC, 19 NCCAOM CEU’s
“Nourishing the Channels” with speakers Josephine Spilka, MS, LAc, Jen Resnick, DAHM, LAc, Chad Johnson, MS, LAc.
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE
Tennessee
The Tennessee Acupuncture Council Board
🌟 TAC at the ASA Conference – Grateful, Growing, and Connected! 🌟
This past weekend, two of our Tennessee Acupuncture Council (TAC) board members had the honor of attending the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) Conference in Washington, D.C. ✨
Our president, Alexandria Russell, proudly represented Tennessee during Friday’s council meeting—connecting with fellow acupuncturists, collaborating with other state associations, and advocating for the growth of East Asian Medicine nationwide. It was an incredible weekend of learning, networking, and inspiration! 🙌
💻 Back at home, TAC recently held an online training session with our website host to help our board members feel more confident and capable in managing our digital presence—thank you to everyone who participated and helped make it a success!
👋 We’re also excited to welcome two new members to the council—thank you for joining us in this important work!
🗳️ Want to get more involved?
We’re currently accepting board applications for TAC! If you’re passionate about acupuncture in Tennessee and want to help shape its future, we’d love to hear from you.
📩 Please email gro.l1747357686icnuo1747357686Cerut1747357686cnupu1747357686cANT@1747357686tnedi1747357686serP1747357686 for more info.
#TNacuCouncil #AcupunctureCommunity #ASAConference2025 #AcupunctureLeadership #TennesseeAcupuncture
Texas
TAAOM BOD has recently finished a preliminary round of state-wide membership surveys regarding advocacy goals for 25-26, results show that the overwhelming majority of members want TAAOM advocacy to be centered on adding clarification descriptors to “Acupuncture” to include modalities like “Dry Needling” as part of the description, including “Thermal/TDP/Infrared”, others want to expand the scope of service such as “Acupoint Injections”, or “Joint Mobilization Techniques”, and even go as far as trying to eliminate the hindering obstacles such as the current Texas Administrative code ruling on referrals.
- Referral After 20 Treatments or Two Months: According to the Texas Administrative Code, specifically Title 22, Part 9, Chapter 183, Rule §183.7(b), if an acupuncturist is treating a patient based on a referral from a doctor (which includes MDs and DMDs), the acupuncturist must refer the patient back to the referring doctor after the patient has received 20 acupuncture treatments or has been treated for two months, whichever comes first. This rule ensures ongoing communication and collaboration between healthcare providers.
The TAAOM BOD is also planning a weekend-long Fall-seminar CEU event (in-person) near Dallas in the fall. Stay tuned for more updates at taaom.org
Wisconsin
The WISCA Education Committee is proud to host the Spring Student Seminar Series:
“How to Become a Successful Acupuncturist”
This series will explore diverse career paths within the acupuncture profession and offer practical insights for building a fulfilling practice.
WISCA is currently seeking new board members.
We have open positions for Secretary and Members-at-Large. If you’re passionate about shaping the future of acupuncture in Wisconsin and making a meaningful impact, we encourage you to get involved.
Contact us at: moc.l1747357686iamg@1747357686emoha1747357686csiw1747357686
Related News