Chiropractors advocate for increased coverage of non-drug pain management for seniors, military retirees

Arlington, Va. – Chiropractors from across the nation gathered in Washington, D.C., on January 17 to urge members of Congress to increase coverage of non-drug approaches to pain management to help combat the opioid crisis.

The Advocacy Day event is part of the American Chiropractic Association’s annual meeting, the 2019 National Chiropractic Leadership Conference (NCLC).Nearly 800 chiropractic physicians, students, and supporters traveled to the nation’s capital this week to hear speeches from political leaders, participate in advocacy training, and visit with members of Congress to urge support for pro-chiropractic legislation that would benefit Medicare beneficiaries as well as expand access to chiropractic services for military retirees and members of the National Guard and Reserve.

“Today is our day. Our day to deliver our message and to represent our patients,” said ACA President N. Ray Tuck, Jr., DC, in his opening remarks. Attendees then heard from U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), chief sponsor of the Senate bill (S. 30) to extend chiropractic access to military retirees, the National Guard and reservists, and U.S. Representative Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), who sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

Earlier in the day, U.S. Rep. Van Taylor (R-Texas), who as a member of the Texas Legislature advocated successfully on behalf of the chiropractic profession in Texas to retain chiropractors’ ability to diagnose, addressed ACA’s top political leaders.

“Chiropractic is critically important to the health care system,” said Sen. Baldwin, who stressed the need for greater access to nonpharmacologic approaches to pain management. “I’ve heard from veterans who are in desperate need of chiropractic care.”

“We know how important it is for patients to have access to minimally invasive chiropractic care,” said Rep. Smith. “Affordable access for patients is an important topic for us.”

NCLC is the premier national conference for doctors of chiropractic, chiropractic assistants, and chiropractic students. Beginning in 2020, NCLC will be called ACA Engage. NCLC has long been known for bringing together industry leaders from all over the country to meet with members of Congress on Capitol Hill, and engaging legislators will always be a priority. Over the years, the program has expanded to also include a wide variety of education offerings (with CE credit available), speeches from respected thought leaders, and panel discussions that delve into important topics. The new name reflects the association’s efforts to position the chiropractic profession for success by engaging a new generation of doctors with these exciting education, career, and leadership-development opportunities.

About the American Chiropractic Association

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is the largest professional chiropractic organization in the United States. ACA attracts the most principled and accomplished chiropractors, who understand that it takes more to be called an ACA chiropractor. We are leading our profession in the most constructive and far-reaching ways—by working hand in hand with other health care professionals, by lobbying for pro-chiropractic legislation and policies, by supporting meaningful research and by using that research to inform our treatment practices. We also provide professional and educational opportunities for all our members and are committed to being a positive and unifying force for the practice of modern chiropractic. To learn more, visit acatoday.org, and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE: 2019 National Chiropractic Leadership Conference