Medicare has been available to patients for more than three decades.  The purpose is to provide funded universal health care for Australians within a Federal framework. As I know, chiropractors, physios and many other medical practitioners have become Medicare approved providers; however, Acupuncturists are not included in this framework.  Why should such an effective therapy be eliminated from patient choice?

Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine originating in China over 5000 years ago.  It offers solution for many diseases and health disorders. In the past few decades, numerous clinical trials have shown that Acupuncture can treat many disorders efficiently. This science and art of linking body, mind and emotion can treat the cause as well as symptoms for many ailments. Therefore, Acupuncture has major benefits such as disease prevention and drug free symptom relief. Some Medical Analysts have compared the 2015 National statistics between Beijing and Sydney. The results of the report showed that even though the high level of air pollution and poor quality of water and food in Beijing, people living in Beijing spend $4000 less annually on Medical treatments than people living in Sydney.  People in Beijing visited Chinese Medicine Practitioner far more often.  The results show that the longevity of people is similar in both cities, even though the environmental odds are stacked against people living in Beijing.

Chinese Medicine believes if all the body meridians work in harmony, therefore the body and mind stay healthy. Chinese Medicine Practitioner look at patient’s tongue and check their pulse and can find the imbalance in their body.  These imbalances cause functional disease, meaning your body is not functioning 100%.  This condition would lead to sickness in the future. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can restore such imbalance and keep your body in a healthier state. Take your car for regular servicing will make it run better for longer. Visit an Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine doctor regularly will make your body function better for longer.

I suggest the government should include Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in patient care planning and cover under Medicare.  This is for the benefit of Australian’s and the Federal Health Framework.