Defending Medical Freedom with Naomi Koenig

Naomi Koenig, a compassionate healthcare provider, is in a legal battle to continue serving our community; a local clinic is suing her, claiming that she is stealing their patients. She desires to provide the best care possible to all people and for people to have a choice in who they see for their medical care. The legal fees have already surpassed $15,000 and very well may exceed $40,000. Your financial support is needed to defend medical freedom in Pine County.

Naomi felt a calling to offer something different to the Pine County area, a clinic with providers from all areas of care ranging from conventional to holistic. The clinic sees primary care, mental health, substance use, weight loss, psychiatry, nutrition, and more. Each visit to the clinic is an Integrative Medicine model visit, with the goal centered on the patient. This is a clinic where people feel comfortable, cared for, and heard. A clinic where patients are treated as a whole person and not as a 15-minute slot on the schedule.

She opened Selah Wellness Clinic, LLC. out of a desire to serve people in need in her community. Selah means "pause and reflect," and when you step into the clinic you feel as if you've stepped into a relaxing spa rather than a cold medical clinic. Soothing music plays in a waiting room with soft lights, comfortable chairs, and tasteful decor. When you have your appointment, you will not be rushed through a one-size-fits-all checklist leaving you feeling unheard and unimportant; rather, you will be carefully listened to and treated as a whole person. You will walk away wondering what happened to our healthcare system in this country that we've stepped so far away from the caring aspect of HealthCARE? Naomi desires to return Healthcare to genuinely caring for the whole person.

Shortly after opening Selah Wellness Clinic, a local clinic brought litigation against Naomi, claiming that when she was previously employed by them that she had signed a contract with a non-competition clause, which she did not. They claim she intentionally stole patients from their practice, which she did not. I ask you, even if you are entirely content with your healthcare provider, do they own you to the extent that you can be "stolen" from them if you should happen to go elsewhere? Should you not have the option to see whomever you choose? Medical freedom is at stake. The judge has put restrictions on who can be seen by Naomi until a final ruling. If a patient identifies as a previous patient of the aforementioned local clinic, then they cannot be seen by Naomi. Tragically many have had to be turned away, some in despair.

This legal battle, like most, is expensive and arduous. The attorney fee is $195 per hour, and total legal fees have already surpassed $15,000, with $8,000 due soon. The legal fees are expected to surpass $40,000 if things are resolved reasonably quickly. If the resolution is not quick, the total amount may be astronomical. Please give what you can; any amount helps. Even more than the money, we appreciate your support in prayer and spreading the word. Please share this with friends and family far and wide. Local legal battles like this can quickly spread and affect the entire region. People need to be aware that medical freedom is at stake, and even if they don't live in Pine County, the results of this court case could affect them someday.

I encourage you to read the following testimonial of care received by Naomi under the article entitled "Competition Can Be A Good Thing": https://www.pinecountynews.com/eedition/page-n04/page_f17b9881-4bd0-58a9-9be9-52217daa40fa.html

See more of her story on her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/naomi.koenig

Our fundraising goal is far below the actual legal costs expected, but if we exceed the need any excess will go to Global Seed Planters. https://globalseedplanters.org/