Join Now

Why choose MARA?

• Health Care Recognition: Major insurance companies recognize MARA members as professional health care providers and provide billing privileges. Our members have a reputation of providing quality care in a professional manner. MARA members have access to convenient online billing for all major insurance providers in Canada. A brief list of insurance providers include Medavie Blue Cross, Johnson, Cowan, Sunlife Financial, Manulife Financial, Great-West Life, Industrial Alliance, Desjardins, Maximum Benefit/Johnson Insurance, Standard Life and Chamber Group Insurance.
• Professional and General Liability Insurance: All active MARA members are required to hold professional and general liability insurance. Members purchase their own insurance on a yearly basis at a very reasonable cost. Proof of insurance is required for become a member of MARA, as well as for annual membership renewal.
• Member Services: On our website is a members-only portal. This provides members with convenient access to their individual information, from contact information to their ability to track their CEU and annual renewal documents.
• Referral Services: Members can choose to include their names for referral purposes on the MARA website. Our online Find an Acupuncturists portal provides convenient access to our MARA members throughout all regions of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
• Continuing Education: As part of our MARA vision all members are required to participate in yearly continuing education courses. This ensures our members are continually striving to increase their knowledge and skills, as well as ensuring the public is receiving the highest quality acupuncture and Chinese medicine care available. We also give members the opportunity to choose from a large variety of course options from both live and online continuing education providers.
• Fellowship with other Acupuncturists: Members are encouraged to develop friendships and working relationships with other members. Networking with colleagues at the Annual General Meeting and while attending Continuing Education Courses provides as excellent opportunity to create exciting new relationships. Members also have the option to receive our e-newsletter with updated information and events occurring throughout the year.

Membership Benefits:

• MARA provides the opportunity for members to evolve within a professional association which promotes quality health care via the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), more specifically Acupuncture and its related modalities such as Qi Gong, Cupping, Herbal Medicine and Auricular Therapy.
• MARA is a Maritime based, highly reputable organization of professionally trained Health Care Professionals that insist on high qualifications that meet and/or exceed national standards.
• MARA also ensures that its members maintain and update their professional education with required Continuing Education hours.
• We regularly offer CEU workshops where members receive preferred course rates.
• MARA members follow North American and International Standards for the discussion and advancement of the profession of acupuncture.
• MARA provides a network for the discussion and advancement of the profession of acupuncture.
• Members have on-line access through Medavie Blue Cross and Telus Health to all major insurance companies allowing patients to pay for the cost of treatments directly at the clinic.
• MARA Members can volunteer for various Board of Directors positions and/or on the Education or Bylaws committees and earn up to 10 CEUs per year on the Board.
• Online Member Portal for Annual Renewals and Continuing Education Units (CEU) submission.
• MARA ensures that patients who rely on acupuncture and TCM for relief from pain and suffering are able to find professionally trained health care practitioners who meet or surpass widely recognized standards of training and care.

Membership Options:

MARA has three levels of membership with varying levels of allowances, privileges, & dues. Any member of MARA, regardless of status, may attend the Annual General Meeting.

• Active Member: Any practicing or non-practicing acupuncturist, registered in the Maritime or other Canadian Provinces with a professional organization that meets the Association’s minimal educational standards, may become an active Member entitled to all the privileges of membership who:
  1. Is currently registered and in good standing with the Association;
  2. Has paid the prescribed fee in accordance to the MARA Bylaws;
  3. Maintains required continuing education units; and
  4. Maintains current Standard First Aid and Level C CPR or Health Care Provider CPR.

• Inactive Member: Any active member may become an inactive Member entitled to privileges of membership who:
  1. Applies in writing to the Secretary for an inactive status at the time of application and at each renewal thereafter; or
  2. At the time of original application was an active Member in good standing with the Association or an active Member in good standing of an acupuncture association whose members are normally accepted for membership in the Association without examination.
  3. An inactive Member may become an active Member of the Association without examination:
     • (i) Within six (6) years of the date upon which the status of inactive Member was begun upon proof of a minimum number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) accumulated during the inactive period as determined by the Association's CEU Policy; or
     • (ii) If practicing acupuncture as a registered acupuncturist in a jurisdiction other than the Maritimes, upon moving to the Maritimes and providing the Secretary with satisfactory proof of continuous practice as an acupuncturist while an inactive Member of the Association. “Continuous practice” shall mean at least five hundred (500) hours of direct client care within the prior thirty six (36) months.
• Student Member:

  Students who are currently enrolled in a recognized acupuncture or TCM college may apply for a MARA student membership. This provides an excellent opportunity to meet and develop fellowships with acupuncturists and TCM practitioners during the time they are studying. Most of the same documentation as a MARA Active member is required to become a student member. Upon graduation the student will only need to provide a couple of additional documents and pay the Active member fee in order to upgrade their MARA membership from Student status to Active status. Please see here for application details and requirements MARA Student Member Application (Revised 2022)

MARA Dues:

• Active Member: $325.00 per MARA calendar year (October 1 - September 30)
• Inactive Member: $50.00 per MARA calendar year (October 1 - September 30)
• Student Member: $50.00 per MARA calendar year (October 1 - September 30)

PLEASE NOTE: Yearly membership dues for ALL Members are payable BEFORE October 1. The late fee for ALL members submitting dues on or after October 1 is $150.00.

Applications Forms:

MARA New Member Application

Student Member Application

CEU Policy:

MARA CEU Policy (2021)

Liability Insurance Requirements:

As outlined by MARA, all members are required to purchase and maintain valid professional liability insurance that meets the requirements outlined below.

1. Minimum 1 million per claim and 5 million Aggregate per year
2. MARA Member’s NAME. Member’s business may also be listed.
3. Effective date of insurance policy
4. “Acupuncture” specific notation OR definition which includes the practice of acupuncture OR be included in a general listing* of alternative medicines and holistic practices that an insurance policy covers and covered under a broader term like “alternative medicine” or “naturopathic therapies” or “Naturopathie/Naturotherapie.” Please note: *MARA may request a copy of any Insurance companies’ General Listing of modalities, alternative medicines and holistic practices covered under their umbrella terms to ensure Acupuncture and related TCM Treatments are covered.
5. It must also have written 1 of 3 headings :
6. Professional Liability
7. Errors and Omissions
8. Malpractice Insurance

If the documentation submitted DOES NOT meet the above requirements, the MARA member will be advised to follow up with their insurance to ensure their policy meets the above minimum requirements.

It is up to each member to educate themselves on their liability insurance requirements, be aware of the risks and benefits and ensure their coverage meets their individual needs as well as MARA’s Requirements.

Recommended Insurance Company: Most MARA Members choose Liability Insurance with Brokerlink Insurance (Formerly LMI Canada/Lackner McLennan)

First Aid/CPR/AED Requirements

• MARA is required to have valid First Aid/CPR documents on file for ALL Members.
• MARA Members are asked to upload their First Aid/CPR Documents directly into their MARA
• Member folder for review by the Education Committee and Registrar.
• The Registrar records MARA member’s First Aid/CPR expiration dates on the MARA Member list.
• Prior to expiration, Members are required to renew their First Aid/CPR certification and upload to their MARA member folders.
• Member’s earn 8 Category A CEUs, per cycle for their First Aid/CPR certification.

  Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Newsletter Administrator
  • Blog Administrator
  • Email Administrator

BECOME A MEMBER

ALREADY A MEMBER