Integrative Health and Wellness Caucus hosts inaugural meeting
Reps. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., and Jared Polis, D-Colo., welcomed members of Congress, their staff and healthcare stakeholders to an inaugural meeting of the new Integrative Health and Wellness Caucus to a standing room only crowd on March 15, the National Center for Homeopathy shared Tuesday.
“I think it’s important for patients to have all the facts and latest research when it comes to therapies and treatments available to them when making medical decisions,” Coffman said. “This is why it was my honor to welcome the Integrative Health and Wellness Caucus members to Capitol Hill last week.”
"Through this Caucus we are having conversations about how Congress can solve the major healthcare issues of this country and better meet the healthcare needs of everybody, including integrative health and wellness options," Polis added. Other caucus attendees included representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Air Force Medical Service.
Registrants were also representatives from as many as 30 medical groups, insurers, hospitals, service providers, learning institutions, health care lobbying firms and patient groups that support integrative healthcare. “This caucus is the start of an important conversation to shift our healthcare paradigm from a reactive model to whole-person preventive outcomes,” said Len Wisneski, chair Integrative Health Policy Consortium, the organization that helped host the event. “American’s have spent billions of dollars out-of-pocket on complementary and integrative care. It is time that Congress and healthcare payers and systems respond by including all credentialed and licensed providers and evidence-based care approaches into the choices available to all Americans.”
“I was excited to be part of the inaugural congressional caucus proceedings,” Peter Demitry, executive director, National Foundation for Integrative Medicine, said. “The various organizations and stakeholders that attended and presented to Congress were very well informed with articulate, rational arguments that were well received by the United States legislators. I think there was clear consensus that the time to fix U.S. health care policy is now and NFIM is happy to be both meeting and joining these various dedicated stakeholders.”
“I think it’s important for patients to have all the facts and latest research when it comes to therapies and treatments available to them when making medical decisions,” Coffman said. “This is why it was my honor to welcome the Integrative Health and Wellness Caucus members to Capitol Hill last week.”
"Through this Caucus we are having conversations about how Congress can solve the major healthcare issues of this country and better meet the healthcare needs of everybody, including integrative health and wellness options," Polis added. Other caucus attendees included representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Air Force Medical Service.
Registrants were also representatives from as many as 30 medical groups, insurers, hospitals, service providers, learning institutions, health care lobbying firms and patient groups that support integrative healthcare. “This caucus is the start of an important conversation to shift our healthcare paradigm from a reactive model to whole-person preventive outcomes,” said Len Wisneski, chair Integrative Health Policy Consortium, the organization that helped host the event. “American’s have spent billions of dollars out-of-pocket on complementary and integrative care. It is time that Congress and healthcare payers and systems respond by including all credentialed and licensed providers and evidence-based care approaches into the choices available to all Americans.”
“I was excited to be part of the inaugural congressional caucus proceedings,” Peter Demitry, executive director, National Foundation for Integrative Medicine, said. “The various organizations and stakeholders that attended and presented to Congress were very well informed with articulate, rational arguments that were well received by the United States legislators. I think there was clear consensus that the time to fix U.S. health care policy is now and NFIM is happy to be both meeting and joining these various dedicated stakeholders.”