Advocacy News Archive

Stay up to date with recent advocacy news from AMTA.

The 2023 Legislative Season: Highlights for the Massage Therapy Profession

With an active legislative season coming to a close, explore how AMTA was involved in advocating for state licensure, massage therapy for pain management, the Interstate Compact and fighting the reduction of standards in the profession.
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AMTA Participates in Voices for Non-Opioid Choices Seminar

In March, AMTA participated in the Voices for Non-Opioid Choices' seminar: Preventing Opioid Addiction in America, which focused on the need to work together to push for swifter implementation of the NOPAIN Act.
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Congress Passes the NOPAIN Act

AMTA is excited to share that Congress passed the NOPAIN Act in late December! Thank you to our massage community for your support in helping pass this crucial legislation, which aims to expand access to massage therapy for pain and help stem the opioid epidemic across the nation.
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Submit Your Comments on the Interstate Compact

The Interstate Compact draft language is now available for review and public comment. Make your voice heard by submitting your concerns, support or opposition of it.
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Congress Passes Omnibus Bill for HHS Initiatives

AMTA is pleased that the omnibus bill includes a variety of provisions intended to address the role of integrative care and chronic pain, and other integrative pain issues of direct interest to the massage therapy community.
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Senator Capito Calls For Better Pain Management

With input from the massage community, a ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) encouraging the distribution of the HHS Pain Management Report to the medical community.
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Proposed Utah Bill Raises Legal Concerns Of Who Can Safely Practice Massage

AMTA opposes the new Utah Senate Bill, S.B. 180 titled “Massage Therapy Practice Act Amendments” which would create two substandard tiers of licensure for massage therapy. 
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NAICS 2022 Update

With AMTA input, the NAICS 2022 update includes changing the term "massage parlors" to "massage wellness centers."
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AMTA Encourages CMS To Provide Medicare Coverage For Massage Therapy

AMTA provides comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) about Medicare's Inclusion of Massage in 2022.
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HHS Labor Bill & Draft Report

Learn how the HHS FY 2022 bill and draft report supports education, public awareness and research on massage therapy for pain management.
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AMTA Advocacy: Moving Massage Forward

AMTA’s advocacy efforts are continuing to move the massage therapy profession forward. We are working to increase public and policymaker awareness of the efficacy of massage therapy. 
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CARA 3.0: AMTA-Supported Bill

New legislation addressing comprehensive approaches to pain care introduced in Congress.
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The U.S. Pain Foundation Recommends Massage Therapy

The U.S. Pain Foundation, with input from AMTA, has recommended the Centers for Medicare & Madicaid Services take a multidisciplinary approach to pain, including massage therapy.
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AMTA Meets with VA and Medicaid Offices

AMTA volunteer and staff representatives met with Veterans Affairs and Medicaid offices to promote massage therapy.
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