Senate and Assembly Reach Agreement to Preserve Acupuncture Medi-Cal Benefit

SACRAMENTO – The Senate and Assembly have reached an agreement to preserve acupuncture as a covered Medi-Cal benefit. As Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) worked with the Legislative API Caucus, including Assemblymembers Phil Ting and Evan Low, and community leaders to protect this important benefit. The Legislature will now negotiate with the Governor to reach a final budget agreement. The budget is not final, and the deadline for the Legislature to pass a balanced budget is June 15.

Senator Wiener issued the following statement:

“Acupuncture is a critical health care tool to manage chronic pain and for other health needs. We need to ensure people can access acupuncture, including lower income people who rely on Medi-Cal for health care. The state faces serious budget challenges this year, but acupuncture treatments can save us money in the long run by preventing those with chronic pain from switching to dangerously addictive opioids. I’m extremely grateful to leaders in the acupuncture community and the Legislative API Caucus — especially Assemblymembers Ting and Low — for fighting for the community and working with me on this important need.”

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