March 2007

ACA to Capitol Hill: Military healthcare severely flawed

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has expressed its outrage to Congress regarding the lack of chiropractic care available to veterans and active-duty military personnel as stories continue to surface about neglect and substandard care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other military health facilities nationwide.

Despite legislation requiring the DoD to make chiropractic care available to all active-duty military personnel, according to ACA, there are still no doctors of chiropractic assigned in the Iraq and Afghanistan areas of operations, where large numbers of musculoskeletal injuries occur on a daily basis.  

For years, the ACA has been lobbying Congress to more fully integrate chiropractic care into the military and veterans’ healthcare systems. However, chiropractic care is available at only 42 stateside military bases and at 30 VA facilities across the country.

“Service members serving in combat areas typically haul more than 80 pounds of equipment daily,” says ACA President Richard Brassard, DC. “It’s easy to understand why an astounding number of men and women returning from overseas tours are seeking healthcare for symptoms associated with musculoskeletal injuries, primarily back and joint disorders.” 

Congressman Bob Filner (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, has indicated to ACA that he will work to expedite expansion of the chiropractic benefit in the veterans’ healthcare system. The legislation that Filner sponsored in the last congress would require the VA to have a chiropractor on staff at all 154 major VA medical centers within four years. While Congress adjourned last December without taking action on the bill, Filner is poised again to submit a similar bill.

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