June 2003

Coalition proposes chiropractic legislation

The Chiropractic Coalition — made up of numerous chiropractic organizations including the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA), the International Chiropractors Association and the Federation of Straight Chiropractors and Organizations (FSCO) — is working with legislators to draft a proposed bill that would establish chiropractic as a separate and distinct health care provider category under Medicare statutes.

The move would distinguish doctors of chiropractic from medical physicians or osteopaths, and make it impossible for non-DCs to be reimbursed for subluxation correction or other services provided exclusively by DCs.

"We will be introducing legislation soon that will not only reshape the definition of chiropractic in federal policy... it will blow the lid off the definition of chiropractic in federal policy," said Rep. Donald Manzullo (R Ill.), chair of the House Small Business Committee and member of the Financial Services Committee. "We are talking about a revolution. We will make it clear once and for all that chiropractic is equal, but unique. We will finally have a definition of chiropractic that actually reflects what chiropractic has always been and what it should always be."

The bill would remove the term "chiropractor" from the Medicare definition of "physician" (42 U.S.C., Sec. 1395x(r)) and would create a new section under the Medicare statute that will define chiropractor as a primary care, portal of entry health care provider and include specific reference to the services provided by D.C.s.

Since reference to spinal adjustments, and subluxation correction would be contained only in this section, these would be made exclusively chiropractic services.

Medical providers, including DOs and MDs, will not be able to be reimbursed for these services. DCs’ right to perform other services allowed by their state statute will be protected as well.

"We know this is something the profession has been working on for a long time," said Terry A. Rondberg, D.C., WCA president. "The ACA is approaching it from the litigation end, and we are approaching it from the legislative end. Personally, I think getting this bill passed will be our best chance of a lasting solution, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that, one way or the other, we're going to finally have the federal government recognize that chiropractic is a separate health care field that offers a unique service — subluxation correction."

To assure that the bill is passed in Congress, the Coalition will launch a massive grassroots effort, asking all D.C.s to write to their legislators.

"Members of our profession have been willing to donate more than $5 million to find a solution through litigation," Rondberg stated. "I am confident they will be willing to donate a few minutes of their time to find a permanent solution through strong, protective legislation."

Additional information on the campaign, including sample letters and talking points, will be made available by the Coalition as the bill is introduced.

Source: WCA, www.worldchiropracticalliance.org

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