Colorado Legally Recognizes Naturopathic Medicine

In 2013, the Colorado Legislature passed and the governor signed, HB -131111, the “Naturopathic Doctor Act” which officially set the standards for the practice of Naturopathic Medicine in Colorado.

What this means is that as of June 1, 2014, anyone practicing as a Naturopathic Doctor must be registered with the state of Colorado. In order for this to happen, certain requirements must be met including graduation from an accredited Naturopathic medical school, passage of national board exams, and the carrying of malpractice insurance. The law also reserves the use of Naturopathic Doctor and the initials, N.D. to those who are licensed with the state.

For the consumer, it will allow you to know that those who use the title Naturopathic Doctor have met certain requirements and that there is a defined and clear scope of what we can and cannot do as Naturopathic Doctors. The law allows me to diagnose and will make it much easier for me to order lab tests and imaging studies like x-rays. It will also allow me to perform certain procedures and exams if they are warranted. As time goes on, there is the potential that Naturopathic medicine will be covered by insurance.

For the most part, I’m excited about this new law. It’s not perfect, but it will allow me to practice in the way I was trained. My hope is that it will allow me to offer you more complete Naturopathic medical care. We’ll see how it goes. Let me know if you have any questions.