Letter to Sheila Kuehl re SB 840

August 6, 2007

Hon. Sheila Kuehl
State Senator – 23rd District
10951 West Pico Blvd. Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Attn: Press Deputy Robin Podolsky

Dear Ms. Podolsky:

It was a pleasure to meet you during the recent Government / Community Affairs Committee meeting of the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce. I’m the person who spoke of concern about SB 840. This letter comes in response to your request for my suggested amendments to SB 840.

Professionally, I am a Licensed Acupuncturist with some 20 years experience as a practitioner. I grew up in the Studio City – Sherman Oaks area and established my practice in Sherman Oaks first with an office on Riverside Drive and currently on Ventura Boulevard.

Some three years ago, a number of my associates and I established an organization which has been granted status as a 501-c-6 corporation headquartered in Sherman Oaks. Acupuncture and Integrated Medicine Specialists (AIMS) is the name we chose.

Members of AIMS have studied SB 840 and concluded that it requires both chiropractors and acupuncturists to treat patients only on referral by an M.D. Under work comp rules, acupuncturists have held status as primary care providers for several years, hence we believe SB 840 would set us back in service to our patients and in payment for our knowledge after years of college training and study.

Attached are four pages on which we have inserted amendments which we request be added to SB 840 before being sent to the Governor.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Neal S. Miller, LAc., D.N.B.A.O.
President, AIMS
13636 Ventura Blvd., Unit 447
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
818-981-4292
neal@aimsaction.org

encl: suggested changes to SB 840