This page was last updated: January 1, 2011 4pm MST LEGISLATIVE > Health Freedom -- Advocacy
This first area will contain any updates of what you can do NOW to help the health freedom effort. Action Alerts will be found here, so keep an eye on this page!!! Below this first block of info will be downloads and other information you need to effectively advocate for health freedom:
2011 Legislative Session:
HB 73 - Please write in to oppose or amend HB73.
HB73 harms ethically practicing alternative and complementary health care practitioners who are practicing a profession that does not require a license. Please get involved. To learn more about this bill, click over to the BLMTB website - we don't have time to update ours, but theirs has good information.... Click Here!
To learn more, Please sign up to be on our email list. click here to sign up We will keep your info confidential and not give it to anyone else.
If a practitioner, recruit your clients, friends and fellow practitioners (How do I do that? Click here).
If a consumer, recruit your practitioner and friends (How do I do that? Click here).
Contact a legislator This is important to do, particularly if you know them personally. Even if you don't know them personally, contact them! (How do I do that? Click here). We also tell you which ones are particularly important to target right now.
www.mt.leg.gov click on Bills / Current Session Then enter the appropriate bill number
Why do We Need Health Freedom in any Legislation? Currently in Montana there is a technical glitch in Montana law: any unlicensed health care practitioner that is practicing a profession that is unlicensed is open to prosecution for practicing without a license. The consumer often doesn't know that these alternative health care providers they are seeing are unlicensed, nor do they typically know what the training of their provider is. States license professions for the health, safety and welfare of the public, yet these practices do not meet the threshold of causing a risk of harm to the public, and really do not need to be licensed. At the same time, our court systems have protected the right of individuals from being prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license should certain conditions be met. Our goal is to codify these court decisions (and additional public safety) into Montana law, to shift the burden to the state, rather than each practitioner having to defend themselves in court. We also work to ensure that no legislation is passed that compromises the protections in Montana law. The latest trend nationally is to pass legislation that specifically extends these protections because alternative health care practitioners are being sanctioned not because there is a risk of harm, but because they are merely providing a service that is part of a licensed profession's scope, even though the act may also be commonly practiced in alternative health care. The licensed profession doesn't even have to show that any harm or risk of harm is imminent. The Montana Health Freedom Coalition works to ensure the consumer continued access to the low/no risk alternative health care of their choice, and the practitioner to continue their practice without fear of being prosecuted.
Wondering how a bill gets passed?
The BLMTB wrote a great piece on how the process works. While it may have info pertaining to massage therapy, it can pertain to what we are doing too. Take a look - click here.