January 2002

Veterans Legislation Receives Presidential Seal of Approval

Washington, D.C. - It’s official. President George W. Bush has signed legislation mandating the establishment of a permanent chiropractic benefit within the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) health-care system.

As previously reported, the new law (Public Law 107-135) - called the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 - was passed by Congress during one of the last actions of the 107th Congress before its adjournment. Bush gave his signature of approval late in the day on Jan. 23.

Lobbying efforts by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC), the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) and the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA), played a key role in the success of the initiative.

The legislation authorizes the hiring of doctors of chiropractic in the DVA health system; sets a broad scope of chiropractic practice; and allows the chiropractic profession to oversee the development and implementation of the new benefits through an “advisory committee” that includes chiropractic representatives.

The program is scheduled to be phased in immediately and will include the designation of at least one DVA medical center in each geographic service area of the Veterans Health Administration to provide chiropractic services. The designated sites will include medical centers and clinics located in urban and rural areas.

In addition, the legislation provides for a scope of chiropractic services that “shall include a variety of chiropractic care and services for neuromusculoskeletal conditions, including subluxation complex.”

The new legislation is similar to separate legislation passed in October 2000 that requires the U.S. Department of Defense to establish a permanent chiropractic benefit for active-duty military personnel.

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