HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.128           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION

URGING THAT NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS BE RECOGNIZED IN THE SAME
   MANNER AS MEDICAL PHYSICIANS IN HEALTH CARE PLANS AND
   POLICIES.



 1       WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians have been licensed to
 2   practice naturopathy (natural medicine) in Hawaii since 1925;
 3   and
 4   
 5       WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians specialize in and have
 6   been providing traditional and modern "natural medicine,
 7   natural therapeutics, and natural procedures, for the purpose
 8   of removing toxic conditions from the body and improving the
 9   quality, quantity, harmony, balance and flow of the vital
10   fluids, vital tissues, and vital energy"; and
11   
12       WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians are licensed to provide
13   services including diagnosing, treating, and caring for
14   patients using a practice that bases its treatment of
15   physiological functions and abnormal conditions on natural laws
16   governing the human body; and
17   
18       WHEREAS, naturopathic treatment includes the use of
19   physiological, psychological, and mechanical methods, such as
20   air, water, light, sunshine, heat and cold, earth,
21   phytotherapy, physiotherapy, mechano-therapy, naturopathic
22   corrections and manipulation, and natural methods or modalities
23   together with natural or homeopathic medicines, natural foods,
24   herbs, and remedies of the type that are taught in education
25   and training at naturopathic medical colleges; and
26   
27       WHEREAS, naturopathic medicine is based upon traditional
28   healing methods over 5,000 years old and provides
29   scientifically and clinically proven therapeutics based on
30   health building and disease prevention medical strategies; and
31   
32       WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians provide substantive care
33   to ameliorate pain and suffering, and to improve, stimulate,
34   and enhance the natural defenses of bodies, using health
35   building and disease prevention medical strategies; and
36   
37       WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians provide traditional
38   healing methods that have worked for thousands of years for
39   millions of patients; and

 
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 1       WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians are licensed to use the
 2   title "physician," provided that they clearly identify
 3   themselves as being "naturopathic physicians"; and
 4   
 5       WHEREAS, naturopathic physicians who are licensed under
 6   Chapter 455, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in all matters pertaining
 7   to public health are licensed with equal rights and obligations
 8   as physicians, surgeons, and practitioners of other schools of
 9   medicine; and
10   
11       WHEREAS, the public health is dependent upon the
12   availability, accessibility, and affordability of health care
13   services; and
14   
15       WHEREAS, the Federal Trade Commission has found in its
16   trust busting activities that competition in the medical
17   marketplace improves patient care and public health by
18   stimulating the development of new and innovative health care
19   delivery systems and integrative medical services, as well as
20   providing cost controls; and
21   
22       WHEREAS, almost all states mandate insurance coverage for
23   all licensed health care providers, which is demonstrated to be
24   a successful insurance and health care delivery strategy; and
25   
26       WHEREAS, many of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies
27   and Kaiser Permanente provide coverage for naturopathic
28   physician services on the U.S. Mainland; and
29   
30       WHEREAS, in Hawaii, many of the new competitor insurance
31   providers do provide coverage for naturopathic physician
32   services; and
33   
34       WHEREAS, mandating coverage for naturopathic physicians has
35   been supported by the Department of Health in prior legislative
36   hearings; and
37   
38       WHEREAS, many community leaders have suggested and have
39   been supportive of developing Hawaii's health industry for
40   international appeal; and
41   
42       WHEREAS, the Legislative Auditor reported favorably on the
43   cost effectiveness of mandating naturopathic physician services
44   and pointed out that coverage was a cost-savings enhancement to
45   existing plans; and

 
 
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                                  H.R. NO.128           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       WHEREAS, it is also reported that the public, clinical,
 2   medical, and scientific professionals, insurance industries,
 3   and many leading pharmaceutical companies and drug stores have
 4   been rapidly moving towards supporting, developing, marketing,
 5   and providing traditional naturopathic medicinal services,
 6   procedures, and products; now, therefore,
 7   
 8       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
 9   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
10   of 1999, that the Governor and the directors of the respective
11   state agencies and departments are urged to recognize that
12   naturopathic physicians are licensed with equal rights and
13   obligations as physicians, surgeons, and practitioners of other
14   schools of medicine; and
15   
16       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor and the directors
17   of the respective state agencies and departments include
18   naturopathic physicians licensed under Chapter 455, Hawaii
19   Revised Statutes, in the definition of "physician" in all
20   health care plans and policies; and
21   
22       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
23   Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the respective
24   state agencies and departments.
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28                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________