Idaho Association of Naturopathic Physicians™
{Est. June 22, 1936}
380 N. Capital Ave.
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
208-529-4658
www.idahoanp.org
info@idahoanp.org
Boise – 2-15-08
SENATE BILL #1425 IGNORES WILL OF PEOPLE; SEVERELY RESTRICTS HEALTH FREEDOM CHOICES
A last minute Bill (Senate Bill #1425 relating to the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Act) was introduced by a few Senators on the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Monday, February 11th at 3 pm in Room 117. It appears the Senators have been greatly influenced by the lobbyists for the IDAANP, a group of approximately 8 Naturopathic Doctors backed by an out of state special interest group, who in the guise of public protection seem to want to take over the field of Naturopathic Medicine in Idaho. The lobbyists represent these Naturopathic Doctors not the public. This group of 8 or so doctors has convinced some Senators to sponsor a bill (Bill #1425) written by the IDAANP lobbyists opening and rewriting the 2005 Naturopathic Licensing Statute to restrict licensing in the state of Idaho or appointment to the Naturopathic Licensing Board to only those Naturopathic Doctors who have passed an exam called the NPLEx exam. Many feel the NPLEx is not a competency based examination. The current Statute requires a competency based examination. NO ONE can take the NPLEx exam unless they have graduated from a CNME school and there are only 4 CNME schools in the whole nation. There are quality Naturopathic Medical Programs and Schools which are not accredited by the CNME. CNME (Council on Naturopathic Medical Education) schools are not without controversy. CNME has apparently lost its accreditation from the United States Department of Education (USDE) several times – Conflict of Interest and Integrity issues were supposedly cited. This small group of 8 or so Naturopathic Doctors is trying to have exclusivity of their schools over all other schools and do this by legislating an advantage creating a monopoly for a small number of Naturopathic Doctors and thereby excluding all other viable Naturopathic Doctors in the state. Allowing a monopoly to gain control does not protect the consumer and public interest. We feel the Senate should not be endorsing or condoning exclusivity and restraint of trade practices.
The majority of Idahoan Naturopathic Physicians, 130 or more doctors, have multiple degrees and certifications with clinical experience and training far superior to CNME graduates. Many of these 130 doctors have been safely practicing in Idaho for over twenty to fifty years without incident or complaint. Yet now a bill may be pushed through without public approval which could potentially legislate these doctors out of existence and severely restrict natural health care choices and quality of care for the citizens of Idaho.
The Naturopathic Pending Rules, which were the result of a Negotiated Rulemaking Process, were promulgated correctly according to the Rule Writer’s Manual and this process was supervised by the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses (IBOL), observing all the requirements of the IDAPA Law. The public, through thousands of comments and petitions, overwhelmingly supported these Pending Rules because they met the spirit, intent, and requirements of the Naturopathic Licensing Statute. The majority of the Naturopathic profession (the 130 or more doctors) and the Idaho Association of Naturopathic Physicians (IANP) supported the Rules. Amazingly, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee only listened to 8 dissidents and denied the Pending Rules on January 24, 2008. The Senators apparently are ignoring the will of the people and are working to change the Statute so that it perverts the original intent of Statute. Any reasonable and fair man reviewing the Minutes of the public hearing that the Senate Health and Welfare Committee held on January 24th (24-2401-0701) relating to Rules of the Board of Naturopathic Medical Examiners would have to come to the conclusion that the Senators came into the hearing with a biased viewpoint. As concerned citizens, voters, constituents, and providers and consumers of Natural Health Care Services and Naturopathic Medical Care, this greatly concerns us.
Senate Bill #1425 is not good for Idaho or its citizens. There is concern that things are being done behind closed doors without public hearings or protocol. Many things were said at the January 24th Senate Health and Welfare Committee Hearing which were not necessarily supported by facts or truth and much was done to obscure the validity and appropriateness of the Pending Rules by presenting irrelevant, incorrect, and biased information. You can always find more than one legal opinion and interpretation – this is why court cases exist. During the Negotiated Rulemaking process, the only negative comments about the Pending Rules came from the IDAANP (the Idaho Chapter of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians) and the IMA (Idaho Medical Association) who both have vested interests and want to control the area for their own agenda and financial interests. We assume the Acupuncturist Association did not support the Rules because their lobbyist is also the registered lobbyist for the IDAANP. The Senators attacked the Pending Rules because of problems between the IBOL (Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses) and the IBNME (Idaho Board of Naturopathic Medical Examiners) and that the IBOL had delivered several wrong sets of rules. It was the supposed duty of the IBOL to deliver the right set of rules. There was only one word in the Pending Rules which did not 100% align with Statute and this could have been easily remedied by the Senate (“attended” could have been changed to “completed”).
If Senate Bill #1425 gets passed by the Senate and House only a handful of doctors will get licensed. A Licensing Board cannot be supported or maintained with a handful of licensees – it is not economically feasible. It makes no economic sense to only allow licensure to the few CNME graduates, most of whom come from out of state and have little or no ties or history to Idaho, when there are many talented, qualified, and experienced non-CNME Naturopathic Doctors who are viable licensure candidates. We oppose the passage of Senate Bill #1425.
We are a group of safe Naturopathic Doctors with years serving Idahoans without incident or complaint. It seems the IDAANP want to be considered as medical doctors. We want to work in concert with other disciplines. We want to be licensed akin to Chiropractors and Acupuncturists. We believe in non-invasive protocols. We want various, legitimate, quality pathways and choices accepted for licensure not just one extremely restrictive option. IF CHIROPRACTORS, ALLOPATHS (M.D.’s), LAWYERS, OR ACCOUNTANTS HAD TO GRADUATE FROM ONLY FOUR SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY WE WOULD HAVE VERY FEW CHIROPRACTORS, ALLOPATHS (M.D.’s), LAWYERS OR ACCOUNTANTS. How would it be if you graduated from a state university and were told you could never be licensed in any profession because you had not graduated from an Ivy League school? Other professions and Licensing Boards provide alternate pathways for licensure. They allow for various schools and examinations not just one. We want uniform, fair, and consistent guidelines and standards for Naturopathic Medical Programs and Examinations which meet the current statutory requirements. We want continuing education and special competency certifications. We are not the ones who are an endangerment to the public.
The Naturopathic Licensing Statute should in no way be reopened and changed. The whole profession, including the few CNME graduates, worked together for over four years to create the current Statute. We were all willing to stand as one, subject to the same rules and requirements, all in parity. Then something shifted so that outside interests had a greater influence on the CNME graduates causing them to take a stance whereby they were no longer satisfied in just making sure they were licensed but they purposefully wanted to make sure that no one else (besides them) in the state of Idaho would ever get licensed. When competition is reduced, prices of services tend to go up and this would make Naturopathic Medical care cost prohibitive for the public.
The CNME doctors want to do medical type exams and procedures. It appears they want the public to go to them instead of medical doctors but they are not qualified as medical doctors. Through their self elevated status they are trying to compare their education and training to that of a trained Allopathic Physician. Your children and grandchildren would have to graduate from one of the four approved CNME schools and pass the NPLEx exam or they would never be allowed to practice as a Naturopathic Doctor in this state if Bill #1425 passes. The group of 8 or so CNME Naturopathic Doctors wants to change the Statute so that CNME doctors are the only ones appointed to the IBNME (Idaho Board of Naturopathic Medical Examiners) – they will then control the Rules and be able to potentially legislate us out of existence - Naturopathy as we know it would almost assuredly disappear. The original intent of the Law was to have all qualified doctors, including doctors who come from other disciplines, who have completed a Board approved Naturopathic Medical Program and passed a Board approved competency based examination, be licensed under the Statute.
We represent the diverse makeup of Idaho Naturopathic Doctors - the Traditional Naturopath, Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine, graduates of Naturopathic Medical Schools and Programs, the Allopathic Physicians trained in Naturopathic or other complementary and alternative medicine techniques, Naturopaths holding a doctorate or a health practitioner license, e.g., Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.), Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.), Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.), Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Physician’s Assistant (P.A.), and Registered Nurse (R.N.). The current Law was meant to unify the Naturopathic practitioners and to establish and maintain licensing that is all inclusive of different qualified educational approaches. We do not believe that the majority of Idahoan Naturopathic Physicians should be disenfranchised. The spirit of the law was that all doctors would be licensed according to their training, and special competency certifications would be required for certain areas such as IV Therapy, Obstetrics, and Minor Office Procedures (Surgery is not allowed). There would be legitimate pathways for licensure not just one pathway dictated by an out of state special interest group (AANP/CNME/NPLEx). This CNME group, with the assistance of some of the Senators, is trying to disenfranchise the majority of Naturopathic Doctors who have been a great benediction to the citizens of Idaho for many, many, many years.
A group of 8 or so should not be allowed to monopolize an entire profession and destroy a field. The Legislature should operate in an open, forthright, accountable, and transparent manner. The will of the people not a special interest group should be done. The voices of the people should be heard. The People supported the current, untainted Statute which was made law in 2005. Public discussion and participation in any law making is paramount. The People overwhelmingly supported the Pending Rules which relate to the current Naturopathic Statute.
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For information: info@idahoanp.org
Contact: Dr. Karie Jonak
Phone: 208-529-4658