0001|                       SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 24
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                           SHANNON ROBINSON
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
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0012|     TO DEVELOP LEGISLATION FOR THE FIRST SESSION OF THE FORTY-
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0013|     FOURTH LEGISLATURE TO REQUIRE INSURERS TO PROVIDE INSURANCE
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0014|     COVERAGE FOR MASSAGE THERAPY.
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0015|     
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0016|          WHEREAS, massage therapists receive countless referrals
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0017|     from state-licensed physicians for treatment of patients for
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0018|     chronic and acute muscular pain; and
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0019|          WHEREAS, medical research demonstrates that massage is
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0020|     highly effective in treatment of many soft tissue health
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0021|     problems, more cost effective than most medications and far
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0022|     less invasive, costly and dangerous than other more
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0023|     conventional but invasive and traumatizing procedures; and
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0024|          WHEREAS, soft tissue therapies stimulate the body's own
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0025|     natural self-healing mechanisms, bring immediate and direct
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0001|     pain reduction, are cost effective and complement preventative
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0002|     medicine techniques; and
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0003|          WHEREAS, chronic back pain is one of the causes of high
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0004|     medical expenses, lost time and low productivity in the work
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0005|     place and is immediately mitigated by soft tissue massage
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0006|     therapy;
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0007|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0008|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative health and human
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0009|     services committee be requested to develop legislation for the
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0010|     first session of the forty-fourth legislature to require
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0011|     insurers to provide coverage for physician-prescribed soft
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0012|     tissue massage and that the legislation be presented to the
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0013|     legislature by December 1, 1998; and
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0014|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0015|     transmitted to members of the legislative health and human
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0016|     services committee.
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0017|                              
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