Blogs

Meet with Members of Congress to Discuss Medicare Bill: One Member’s Strategy

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 05-12-2023
by Daniel Schatzberg, DC Your profession needs you now. We are in a critical moment, as we stand on the precipice of being able to pass The Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act (H.R. 1610/S. 799). This law would allow you to practice to the full extent of your license under Medicare. This would be fantastic for Medicare patients. Without your assistance, however, it is going to be hard to pass. But if everyone helps just a little, this will be easy. The first time we tried to pass this legislation in the 116th Congress, we had 95 cosponsors. The second time in the 117th Congress we were able to achieve 155 cosponsors. If we can get 290 cosponsors ...

In Memoriam: Wilk v. AMA Attorney George McAndrews

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 04-28-2023
One of the central and most dynamic figures of the chiropractic profession’s legal battle for legitimacy, attorney George P. McAndrews , 87, passed away Friday, April 7. McAndrews successfully represented the chiropractic plaintiffs in the historic Wilk v. AMA lawsuit, which exposed a conspiracy by the American Medical Association (AMA) designed to “contain and eliminate” the growth of the chiropractic profession. The conspiracy, developed by AMA’s “Committee on Quackery,” was carried out over years through several key strategies, including preventing access by chiropractors to research and education funding, prohibiting the inclusion of chiropractic services ...

President's Message | Looking Forward: Engage 2023, Medicare, Student Leadership

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 11-04-2022
By Michele Maiers , DC, MPH, PhD While I try my best to live in the moment, lately I find myself looking forward to 2023 and anticipating coming together as an organization at ACA’s annual meeting, ACA Engage. I look forward to reconnecting with so many special people that I have known and worked with since my days as a student. Let me encourage all of you to save Jan. 25 – 28, 2023, for some “professional/personal time” to expand your clinical knowledge as well as reconnect with friends and colleagues at Engage 2023. After two years of going virtual, we will once again convene in person for Engage at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, ...

Celebrating a Successful NCHM: Chiropractic is 'On the Frontline for Pain' Year-Round

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 11-01-2022
Throughout October, doctors of chiropractic nationwide joined ACA in celebrating National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) 2022 with the theme “Chiropractic: On the Frontline for Pain.” This theme brought attention to research and growing support in the healthcare community for non-drug pain management as a first line of defense against common musculoskeletal pain. Doctors of chiropractic, who focus on the whole person with their non-drug, noninvasive treatments for pain management – most notably spinal manipulation – can play an important role in helping patients lessen their reliance on pain medications. This was just one of many points in ACA’s 2022 NCHM ...

Your National Chiropractic Health Month Quick-Start Guide

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 09-21-2022
October is almost here, which means National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) is right around the corner! This year’s theme, “Chiropractic: On the Frontline for Pain,” brings attention to research and the growing support in the health care community for non-drug pain management as a first line of defense against common musculoskeletal pain. Start planning your NCHM activities today by reviewing the resources and suggestions in the NCHM 2022 toolkit, which you can access at www.acatoday.org/NCHM . The toolkit contains the NCHM logo, key messages, social media graphics, infographics and more. In addition, the sample promotional plan offers ideas and ...

Put Chiropractic ‘On the Frontline’ with an NCHM Proclamation in Your State, Community

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 08-08-2022
By Annette Bernat There are about eight weeks left until National Chiropractic Health Month 2022 kicks off on Oct. 1. If you have not done so already, now is the time for you or your state association to start working on an NCHM proclamation. The process can take a few weeks to complete, so it’s always best to start early. This year’s theme, “Chiropractic: On the Frontline for Pain,” will highlight the benefits of chiropractic services and show how research and guidelines today support the use of chiropractic and other non-drug approaches. For example, in the latest draft of its prescribing guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...

Congressional Recess Starts, Kicking Off Virtual Constituent Outreach Sessions

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 07-19-2022
August Recess Provides Opportunity for DCs to Meet, Talk to Representatives on H.R. 2654, Senators on S. 4042 By John Falardeau Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are slated to head home to their districts and states starting July 29. The start of the traditional summer recess comes after, what both parties will tell you, was a tumultuous session. Nonetheless, in August, members will hold town hall forums, listening sessions and other public events, some in a virtual setting, most live, geared toward gauging constituent views and interests. Doctors of chiropractic are especially encouraged to seek out their federal legislators at these ...

A Senate Bill Has Been Introduced… What Does That Mean?

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 04-22-2022
By John Falardeau On Thursday, April 7, just before a two-week congressional recess, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), joined by his colleagues Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), introduced S. 4042, the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act , a bipartisan companion to legislation of the same name, H.R. 2654, in the House. The Senate bill was immediately referred to the Finance committee, which has jurisdiction on all matters related to the Medicare program. While it’s nice to have the same bill now introduced in both chambers, why is it so significant? The answer is simple, yet multidimensional. ...

Signs Point to Greater Access to Chiropractic for Service Members, Civilian Beneficiaries

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 01-31-2022
By John Falardeau With the recent passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), report language accompanying the legislation included vital support for expansion of chiropractic services for civilian members who access the Department of Defense (DoD) health care delivery system known as Tricare. For many years, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has been working with members of Congress, especially those in the House and Senate who sit on the Armed Services committees, to create Tricare recipient access to chiropractic services both on and off military bases. ACA has worked with leaders such as Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Sen. ...

‘Keep Moving’ (and Get Going) on Your National Chiropractic Health Month 2021 Proclamation

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 09-01-2021
It is always with much anticipation that the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) posts the first piece of its National Chiropractic Health Month toolkit each summer. While the bulk of the toolkit is posted in September, the sample proclamation comes a month early to give members of the chiropractic profession enough time to reach out to their state and local government offices and begin the process of applying for a proclamation. Over the years, the volume of NCHM proclamations has increased as doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic students have become more familiar with that process, which ACA outlines step-by-step in its NCHM toolkit. The ...

Congressional Recess Starts, Kicking Off Virtual Constituent Outreach Sessions

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 07-22-2021
August Recess Provides Opportunity for DCs to Meet, Talk to Representatives About H.R. 2654 By John Falardeau Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are slated to head home to their districts and states starting July 30. The start of the traditional summer recess comes after, what both parties will tell you, was a tumultuous session—one still dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, in August, members will hold town hall forums, listening sessions and other public events (some in a virtual setting, others live), geared toward gauging constituent views and interests. Doctors of chiropractic are especially encouraged to seek ...

ACA Medicare Advisory Board: Parity Growing Pains Don’t Have to Be a Pain in the Neck

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 05-12-2021
By the ACA Medicare Advisory Board As ACA moves closer to parity with the reintroduction and bipartisan support of H.R. 2654, it is only natural to begin thinking of an equitable (not-so-distant!) future in which doctors of chiropractic are able to bill to the full scope of their licensure in Medicare. Along with long-overdue coverage for American seniors seeking nondrug alternatives for pain, parity would also bring some growing pains in terms of billing and coding. ACA staff, leadership and members who serve on committees and advisory boards have been planning for this and are continuously preparing for the time when H.R. 2654 is law. Recently, a robust ...

Researcher of the Year Motivated by Improving the Lives of Patients

By Cassie LaJeunesse posted 05-04-2021
The American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) 2021 George B. McClelland Researcher of the Year Award was presented to Kenneth A. Weber, II, DC, PhD , of Palo Alto, Calif. The award, presented at ACA’s annual meeting and conference, ACA Engage, recognizes a deserving individual for developing, refining and/or expanding the body of knowledge in chiropractic. As a postdoctoral researcher and instructor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, Dr. Weber’s work is not only interesting, but significant in improving patient outcomes. Dr. Weber also teaches in the Department of Neuroscience ...

ACA Announces Legislative Priorities for the 117th Congress

By Sienna Shoup posted 03-25-2021
With the new year and the first session of the 117th Congress now underway, the American Chiropractic Association is ready to tackle several important legislative issues on behalf of ACA members, patients and the chiropractic profession. The ACA Legislative Committee met recently and established priorities for the new congressional session. Find out what made the list in this ACA Blogs post .

Coming in May: ACA’s Virtual Advocacy Day on the Hill

By Sienna Shoup posted 03-11-2021
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA), the chiropractic profession’s premier voice on Capitol Hill, will be hosting a virtual advocacy day on Thursday, May 6 . A virtual welcome program and informational briefings will be held with registrants on the evenings of May 4-5. Follow ACA Connects , ACA social media and check your inbox for important information coming soon on how to register and participate in this virtual lobbying event.

Black History Moments in Chiropractic

By Sienna Shoup posted 02-25-2021
During February, it is important to recognize Black History Month in the chiropractic profession. February should be a reminder that the journey toward racial equality is underway, but unaccomplished. However, it is a great starting point for clinics, chiropractic schools, and organizations to allow the significance of the month to resonate. Being knowledgeable about the lack of representation in the past and present is one way to change the path for the future. Read more from LaKia Brown, DC, of the ACA Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in this ACA Blogs post .

ACA Applauds Texas Chiropractors on Legal Victory

By Sienna Shoup posted 02-03-2021
Late last week, the Texas Supreme Court handed down a decision in favor of the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the Texas Chiropractic Association, determining that rules challenged by the Texas Medical Association describing the scope of chiropractic practice are valid. The decision reversed lower court rulings, which held that the rules should be struck because they allegedly exceeded the statutory limitations found in the Texas chiropractic enabling law. This news is a big win for Texas chiropractors and, more importantly, their patients. Read the Supreme Court’s decision here .

ACA Applauds Signing of Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act

By Sienna Shoup posted 01-21-2021
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) applauds Congress for passing legislation that will promote fair competition in health insurance markets with the removal of a 75-year-old exemption that allowed these companies to avoid federal antitrust laws. The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act ( H.R. 1418 ) passed the House of Representatives and the Senate last year and was signed into law on Jan. 13. Health insurers will now be subject to the same laws that other businesses are required to comply with and that prohibit unfair practices such as price fixing, price gouging, collusion and market allocations that hurt consumers. Read ACA’s news release ...

Paycheck Protection Program Resumes

By Sienna Shoup posted 01-14-2021
As a result of congressional action last month , the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, re-opened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan portal. You can apply for a PPP loan through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating in the program. Find more information here ...

Senate Introduces Companion Bill to Stop Medicare Cuts to Chiropractors in 2021

By Sienna Shoup posted 12-17-2020
On Dec. 11, U.S. Sens. John Boozman (R-AR), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced S. 5007, the Senate companion bill to H.R. 8702, the Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020 . ACA has been working internally and with external coalition groups to stop devastating CMS cuts to chiropractors and other providers from taking place on Jan. 1, 2021. Members of Congress need to hear from YOU – take a moment today to send a letter to your representative and senators asking them to cosponsor H.R. 8702 and S. 5007.