I stand before you today, driven by my life-altering experience with the transformative power of functional and holistic medicine. The positive impacts I experienced cannot be understated, and yet, access to these treatments is often limited by cost and a lack of insurance coverage. This must change.

There is an urgent need to make functional and holistic medicine more readily available, and to require insurance companies to cover at least some of the associated costs. These treatments encompass the totality of a person's health, focusing on the root cause rather than suppressing symptoms. It is about prioritizing preventive care over sick care, thereby potentially reducing the burden of chronic disease which affects about 60% of adults in the U.S (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021).

However, despite these benefits, the cost of such treatments often inhibits their accessibility. Surveys indicate that 33% of individuals seeking holistic medicine face out-of-pocket expenditures exceeding $10,000 annually (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2021).

By necessitating insurance companies to cover these costs, we would be taking a significant step towards health equity, ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to experience the healing and empowerment offered by functional and holistic medicine, regardless of economic status.

Please join me in advocating for more comprehensive insurance coverage for functional and holistic treatments. Together, we can help make access to these vital services more equitable. Sign the petition today.