The FNMRA believes that naturopathic medicine should be covered by health insurance in the state of Rhode Island for several reasons:

·         denying coverage to patients of naturopathic physicians (NDs) prevents those patients from
        getting the care they need, thus adversely affecting public health and safety;

·         providing insurance coverage to NDs allows for greater consumer choice;

·         NDs are part of the solution to the shortage of primary care physicians; and

·         NDs provide care that results in lower health-care costs and lower prescription drug costs.

Many states and insurance companies already cover naturopathic medicine. Oregon and Vermont allow Medicaid reimbursement to NDs. New Hampshire and the state of Washington require that all health insurance companies reimburse for naturopathic medicine.

It is important to note that NDs use many of the same universal billing codes as MDs for routine visits.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides that insurers include and reimburse licensed health care providers, including naturopathic physicians, in health insurance plans. Specifically, Section 2706 of the ACA, titled “Non-Discrimination in Health Care,” states that insurers “shall not discriminate with respect to participation under the plan or coverage against any health care provider who is acting within the scope of that provider's license or certification under applicable State law.”