An Act relative to the practice of acupuncture

This bill establishes a new Commission on Acupuncture and Wellness within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to study how acupuncture can be better integrated into the state's healthcare system. The commission will investigate strategies to improve access and reduce costs, with a specific focus on treating pain, substance abuse, PTSD, and nausea, and it must submit annual reports with findings and recommendations. Additionally, the legislation mandates that most health insurance policies and hospital plans sold in Massachusetts must cover acupuncture services for the specified conditions. By requiring these insurance plans to include acupuncture benefits, the bill aims to make this treatment more accessible to residents while creating a framework for evaluating its role in broader healthcare delivery.