This bill establishes a commission on acupuncture and wellness within the Department of Public Health, tasked with investigating and studying the integration of acupuncture services into the healthcare system in Massachusetts. The commission will consist of various stakeholders, including public health officials, licensed acupuncturists, and representatives from health insurance companies and consumer organizations. It aims to explore strategies for incorporating acupuncture into pain management, substance abuse treatment, and wellness promotion, as well as to recommend legislative changes to facilitate this integration. The commission is required to submit annual reports detailing its findings and recommendations.

Additionally, the bill mandates that various insurance policies, including those under chapters 175, 176A, 176B, and 176G, provide coverage for acupuncture and oriental medicine-based treatments specifically for pain management, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse treatment, and nausea. It also prohibits third-party payers from differentiating reimbursement rates for acupuncture services based on provider type, ensuring that only licensed acupuncturists or medical doctors are reimbursed for these services.