January 2004
Coalition sets 2004 legislative agenda
The Chiropractic
Coalition ‑‑ comprised of the World Chiropractic Alliance, International
Chiropractors Association and Federation of Straight Chiropractors and
Organizations ‑‑ met on December 9, 2003 and finalized the group's
legislative agenda for the coming year.
Members of all three
organizations will gather in Washington,
D.C., on April 29, for the first‑ever
joint legislative day for the Coalition. Doctors will be given directions on
how to set up appointments with their Senators and House Representatives, so
they can personally speak to legislators about the important issues facing
chiropractic.
The Coalition
Legislative Agenda will help them focus on the current or proposed
legislation they will discuss with lawmakers. The Coalition is focusing on
the following bills and issues:
*** HR 2560, the
"Chiropractic Medicare Freedom and Benefit Protection Act." If passed,
this bill would set up a separate category for doctors of chiropractic,
making chiropractic services uniquely theirs. No longer would an M.D., D.O.,
or physical therapist be able to provide or receive reimbursement for
subluxation correction services. It does not compete with or alter in any
way the chiropractic demonstration project included in the recently passed
Medicare prescription drug benefit legislation.
Although some
Congressional advisers say the bill assumes such reimbursement, the
Coalition is working to revise the wording of HR 2560 slightly so that it
very explicitly includes reimbursement for X‑ray exams and instrumentation.
*** HR 3476 ‑‑ the
"Tricare" now officially known as the "Chiropractic Health Parity For
Military Retirees And Dependents" bill. It has won support from numerous
representatives and all major chiropractic organizations. The bill contains
provisions requiring that chiropractic services may be provided by a doctor
of chiropractic only, without referral by any other health care
provider. In addition, the definition of chiropractic services specifically
includes detection and correction of vertebral subluxation, as well as neuro‑musculoskeletal
conditions and "such other chiropractic services determined appropriate by
the Secretary." The only restriction it puts on chiropractic is that it does
not include the use of drugs or surgery.
*** A Sense of
Congress resolution directing Department of Defense (DoD) to commission
D.C.s as officers in the U.S. Armed Forces. Twelve years ago, a bill
passed giving the DoD the authority to do this, but it never followed
through and actually commissioned any D.C.s. The Coalition unanimously
agreed that it was time it did so and felt a "Sense of Congress" resolution
was the best way to raise visibility of the issue and put pressure on the
DoD. Coalition leaders noted that D.O.s finally got commissioned officers 20
years after DoD received authorization to do so. "We don't want to wait that
long," they stated.
*** A Medicare 'opt
out' bill. The Coalition plans to introduce a bill to allow D.C.s to opt
out of Medicare. Since January 1,
1998, medical doctors have been
permitted to opt out of Medicare and enter into private contracts with
Medicare beneficiaries that allow them to set their own fees. Chiropractors
should have that same right, the Coalition argues. According to the
Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Inc., "Hundreds of
physicians have already opted out, and we have not heard a single regret by
any of these physicians."
All doctors who agree
with one or more of these legislative goals should support the Chiropractic
Coalition by joining one (or more) of its member organizations and
participating in the Joint Legislative Day.
More information on the
Coalition can be found at www.chiropracticcoaltion.com.
More information on the
Joint Legislative Day can be found at www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/summit04
