Pennsylvania Act 2006-186 — ACUPUNCTURE REGISTRATION ACT - REGULATION OF THE PRACTICE OF ACUPUNCTURE AND PROVIDING FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS

Act text

ACUPUNCTURE REGISTRATION ACT - REGULATION OF THE PRACTICE OF ACUPUNCTURE
                   AND PROVIDING FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
                 Act of Nov. 29, 2006, P.L. 1625, No. 186             Cl. 63
                             Session of 2006
                               No. 2006-186

     SB 1235

                                  AN ACT

     Amending the act of February 14, 1986 (P.L.2, No.2), entitled
        "An act regulating the right to practice acupuncture;
        requiring the registration of acupuncture; and providing a
        penalty," further providing for regulation of the practice of
        acupuncture; and providing for medical diagnosis.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1. Section 3(c) of the act of February 14, 1986
     (P.L.2, No.2), known as the Acupuncture Registration Act,
     amended May 16, 2002 (P.L.326, No.49), is amended to read:
      Section 3.  Regulation of the practice of acupuncture.
        * * *
        [(c)  Practice of certain acupuncturists.--An acupuncturist,
     other than a licensed physician or a person exempted as provided
     for in subsection (h), shall, prior to administering the first
     treatment, do all of the following:
            (1)  Ensure that the patient has secured a written
        referral for treatment by acupuncture from a licensed
        physician. A referral under this paragraph shall place
        conditions and restrictions on the course of treatment if
        required as a matter of sound medical practice.
            (2)  Ensure that the patient has undergone a medical
        diagnostic examination or has had the results of a recently
        performed medical diagnostic examination reviewed by a
        licensed physician.
            (3)  Keep a copy of the referral and the results of the
        medical diagnostic examination in the patient's file.]
        * * *
        Section 2.  The act is amended by adding a section to read:
      Section 3.1.  Medical diagnosis.
        (a)  Treatment without diagnosis.--Except as provided in
     subsection (b), an acupuncturist may treat a person's condition
     without the condition being diagnosed by a licensed physician,
     dentist or podiatrist for 60 calendar days from the date of the
     first treatment.
        (b)  Treatment with diagnosis.--An acupuncturist may treat a
     person's condition beyond 60 calendar days from the date of the
     first treatment if the person obtained a diagnosis of the
     treated condition from a licensed physician, dentist or
     podiatrist.
        Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

     APPROVED--The 29th day of November, A. D. 2006.

     EDWARD G. RENDELL