September 2002

Expert Chiropractic Witnesses Set to Testify
Against Trigon Blue Cross

Arlington, Va. – A medical doctor/doctor of chiropractic is expected to testify that chiropractic care is scientifically valid in the ongoing Trigon Blue Cross/Blue Shield anti-trust trial.

Dr. Scott Haldeman, who is a doctor of chiropractic and an MD, has been selected as an expert witness for the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). The ACA filed suit against Trigon in Aug. 2000, alleging conspiracy, rackateering, extortion, mail fraud, and anti-trust violations.

Haldeman is scheduled to discuss the technical issues involving chiropractic and the interface with medical physicians and osteopaths as they deal with the care and treatment of neuromusculoskeletal problems, particularly of the back.

“The documents provided to me on the position of Trigon Health Care in the treatment of neck and back pain are clearly in conflict with the recommendations from the most rigorous systematic reviews of the medical literature,” Haldeman said.

In late July, the ACA, Virginia Chiropractic Association, 10 chiropractors and 18 patients served their long-awaited expert witness statements against Trigon.

Other ACA witnesses include Professor Leonard Schifrin, who teaches preventive medicine at the Medical College of Virginia. Schifrin is expected to concentrate on the economic damage imposed on chiropractors in the Trigon network in Virginia, due to the alleged Trigon/MD conspiracy.

The case is expected to be heard by a jury in November.

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