April 1, 2011 Alternative Practitioners Legislative Action Alert

[Debby Bruck Homeopath]

Notice to Alternative Practitioners, Midwives, Health Care Providers
In The State of North Carolina and Those Whose Wish Continued Care From These Providers

 

Since the last week in March 2011, Senate Bill 31 passed in House judiciary subcommittee B, and is now on its way for a final vote before the full House. If it passes there, it will be sent to Gov. Perdue and made law.

 

WHAT IS THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE?
The NC Medical Practices Act states that the practice of medicine and surgery includes:

“Offering or undertaking to prevent or diagnose Heal, correct, prescribe for, administer to, or treat in any manner or by any means, methods, or devices any disease, illness, pain, wound, fracture, infirmity, defect, or abnormal physical or mental condition of any individual, including the management of pregnancy or parturition.”   See the Medical Practices Act for complete details of scope of medicine:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bychap...

 

NC Senate Bill 31, entitled “Clarify Penalty Unauthorized Practice of Medicine http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/Senate/PDF/S31v2.pdf

would change the penalty from a misdemeanor to a Class I felony. 

-       The NC Senate approved the bill in early March,

-       The NC House Judiciary Subcommittee B approved the bill on March 30.

-       The NC House of Representatives will vote on the bill Monday or Tuesday April 4 or 5.  If approved, the Governor has 10 days to veto the bill. 

-       If this bill passes into law, it would infringe upon your right to choose and practice many forms of unlicensed complementary and alternative healthcare services that have a safe history.

A similar bill S144 was defeated in 2003 because of citizen opposition. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Call Governor Perdue (919-733-4240) and ask her to veto the bill. 
2.  Email Governor Perdue ([e-mail]), to communicate your personal reasons for requesting a veto, in a half page email. Send a copy of your email to your NC House Representative. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/GIS/RandR07/Representation.html
3. Call your NC House Representative to ask him/her to veto of the bill.  
4. Ask your family and friends to take these actions.

 

NC LEGISLATIVE ALERT! PLEASE CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

TO OPPOSE SB 31. Discussion and Action Items Below:

 

THE PROBLEM:

The NC Medical Society wants to eliminate alternative practitioners in the state.  Every few years the doctors introduce legislation that would make the “unauthorized practice of medicine” a felony in NC.  This would threaten thousands of practitioners of natural and alternative health care therapies and their clients’ access to these therapies.

 

Like Codex Removing Health Care Freedom To Choose

Alternative practitioners are an easy target because they can be accused of “unauthorized practice of medicine” – a technical violation of the law and currently a misdemeanor. Why is it easy? Because the NC professional law defines “practice of medicine” so broadly that even recommending vitamin C to a stranger constitutes the “practice of medicine”. 

 

Legal Reasons Don't Hold Water

But could doctors be merely protecting the public with this bill? What if impostors set up a medical practice without real medical degrees and pretend to be doctors? Would this bill not deter such activities? Not likely. First of all, in ten years only one such person was arrested. Even if that happened, existing tort law would have ample powers to put such impostors behind bars.

 

Covert Activities Against Alternative Practitioners

A clue can be found in the meeting minutes of a 1996 meeting of the Federation of State Medical Boards. “We need to reduce their [alternative practitioners] numbers,” was the explanation given for introducing draconian laws for “unauthorized medical practice”. As shown in the chiropractor’s lawsuit against the Wilks v AMA, the doctors tried to get rid of their competition by criminalizing chiropractic. In that lawsuit the AMA’s covert activities were considered violations of Anti-trust laws. The docs really are trying to get rid of the competition – alternative therapies.

 

Complementary and Alternative Health in U.S. Is Growing

About 50% of Americans see at least one alternative practitioner, and their numbers are rising. When the economy is slow, profits fall, even for medical doctors. The real reason why the doctors want to change the law and make it a little harder for their competition is merely a self-serving one. Protect your access to alternative treatment.

TAKE ACTION!!

• Please contact your representatives today and tell them you oppose the bill. 
• Encourage them to pass a health freedom bill instead.
• Call or Email Your Representative AND the Members of the Judiciary Subcommittee B

 

DO IT NOW.  TELL THEM TO PLEASE VOTE NO TO S31 (or SB31)

 

And/or Attend the Meeting Tomorrow and Speak Out!

WHO TO CONTACT:

Judiciary Subcommittee B
House Standing Committee

 

Members
Chairman    Rep. Stam
Chairman    Rep. Stevens
Members    Rep. Bordsen, Rep. Bryant, Rep. Burr, Rep. Faircloth, Rep. Glazier, Rep. Guice, Rep. Haire,Rep. Hilton, Rep. Ingle, Rep. Martin, Rep. Michaux, Rep. Pridgen

Rep. Alice L. Bordsen 602 LOB ................ 919-733-5820

[e-mail]

Rep. Angela R. Bryant 542 LOB................919-733-5878

[e-mail]

 

Rep. Justin P. Burr  538 LOB................919-733-5908

[e-mail]

 

Rep. John Faircloth 306A3 LOB................919-733-5877

[e-mail]

 

Rep. Rick Glazier 1021 LB................919-733-5601         

[e-mail]

 

Rep. W. David Guice 528 LOB................919-715-4466  

[e-mail]

 

Rep. R. Phillip Haire 609 LOB................919-715-3005

[e-mail]

 

Rep. Mark K. Hilton 1227 LB................919-733-5988

[e-mail]

 

Rep. Dan W. Ingle 530 LOB................919-733-5905

[e-mail]

 

Rep. Grier Martin 1219 LB................919-733-5758

[e-mail]

 

Rep. Henry M. Michaux, Jr. 1220 LB................919-715-2528

[e-mail]

 

Rep. G. L. Pridgen 2223 LB ................919-733-5821

[e-mail]

 

Rep. Paul Stam 2301 LB ................919-733-2962     [e-mail]

 

Rep. Sarah Stevens 416A LOB ................919-715-1883

[e-mail]

 

YOUR REPRESENTATIVES:

You can find your representatives here:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/GIS/RandR07/Representation.html

 

You are given several options to find your representatives.

WHERE TO ATTEND:

Judiciary Subcommittee B
House Standing Committee

 

North Carolina General Assembly

Legislative Building

16 West Jones Street

Raleigh, NC 27601

919-733-7928

 

Meets Wednesdays at 10:00 am in 421 LOB
Bills in Committee: H28, H52, H74, H149, H215, H259, H260, H312, H381, H395, S9, S31, S49, S77

[Debby Bruck Homeopath]

Truly appreciate your thoughts and anyone who 'takes action' to make their voice heard above the din.

[Debby Bruck Homeopath]

UPDATE ON THIS ACTION: We have received word that the hearing for Senate Bill 31 has been rescheduled for THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30th. It is going to be heard by the Judiciary Subcommittee B at 10am.

Try to attend and voice your opposition to the Bill. If you are not able to go, you can still contact the Judiciary Subcommittee Members AND your representatives and urge them NOT TO SUPPPORT THIS BILL!

[Debby Bruck Homeopath]

This issue hit national news on Mike Adam's Natural News website. I tried calling Governor Perdue, however, her phone voice message box is full. Can't leave a message. They vote tonight and we will see results soon.