THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              80
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION OF NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS.



 1        WHEREAS, naturopathic medicine, based upon traditional
 2   healing methods over five thousand years old, provides
 3   scientifically and clinically proven therapeutics based upon
 4   health building and disease prevention medical strategies; and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians provide substantive care
 7   for amelioration of pain and suffering, improvement,
 8   stimulation and enhancement of the body's natural defenses, and
 9   health building and disease prevention medical strategies; and
10   
11        WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians provide traditional
12   healing methods that have worked for hundreds and thousands of
13   years for thousands and millions of patients; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, the public health is dependent upon the
16   availability, accessibility, and affordability of a variety of
17   health care services; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, the Federal Trade Commission states that
20   competition in the medical marketplace improves patient care
21   and public health by stimulating the development of new and
22   innovative health care delivery systems and integrative medical
23   services and by providing for cost controls; and
24   
25        WHEREAS, many of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies
26   and Kaiser provide some form of coverage for naturopathic
27   physician services on the mainland; and
28   
29        WHEREAS, in Hawaii, many of the new competitor insurance
30   providers do provide coverage for naturopathic physician
31   services; and
32   
33        WHEREAS, mandating coverage for naturopathic physicians is
34   supported by the Department of Health in prior legislative
35   hearings; and
36   
37        WHEREAS, ten years ago the Auditor reported very favorably
38   on the cost effectiveness of mandating naturopathic physician
39   services, pointing out "that there was no evidence that
40   requiring coverage would add to the cost of insurance," all
41   parties involved, the public, the clinical, medical, and

 
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                                     S.R. NO.           80
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   scientific professionals, the insurance industries, and many
 2   leading pharmaceutical companies and drug stores to rapidly
 3   move toward supporting traditional naturopathic medicinal
 4   services, procedures, and products; now, therefore,
 5   
 6        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
 7   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, that the
 8   Governor is respectfully requested to make efforts to have
 9   naturopathic physicians recognized as the equals of physicians,
10   surgeons, podiatrists, and osteopathic surgeons; and
11   
12        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this
13   Resolution be transmitted to the Governor.
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17                           OFFERED BY: ___________________________