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Orange County Chiropractic District
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Memorandum
to: ACA Board of Governors, House of Delegates and other interested parties In
this report: 1.
CHIROPRACTIC IN VETERANS AFFAIRS: FROM DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO PRIMARY CARE
PROVIDER CHIROPRACTIC
IN VETERANS AFFAIRS: FROM DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER Against
the recommendation of its minority committee staff, and poking a stick at the
bureaucrats of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the members of the
subcommittee on the House Veterans Affairs Committee recommended to the full
congressional committee an amendment to HR 2792 making chiropractic a permanent
part of the veterans administration health care system. You
will recall that I indicated in my last report that the congressional staff had
recommended that the chiropractic benefit be a demonstration project. We
strongly opposed this proposal. Not only did the House members reject the
staff's recommendation, but they also spent considerable time criticizing the
representatives of the VA in attendance for dragging their feet in implementing
chiropractic and decided that what we have been telling them all along was
right: Only congressional action would change the VA's position. Now the
committee would act and act they did. Not only does the amendment call for the
creation of a permanent chiropractic benefit available through all DVA medical
centers with a full scope of practice for chiropractic doctors but also the
appointment of a director of chiropractic services in the Department of Veterans
Affairs to be staffed by a DC and the designation of a doctor as a primary care
provider. If this legislation passes, a veteran can now designate his doctor of
chiropractic as a primary care provider. While
this is significant, we still have a ways to go. This measure must go to the
full committee for a vote this Wednesday. The AMA, the American Osteopathic
Association and the Physical Therapists, which strongly voiced opposition last
year to our inclusion, will certainly be in force next week, particularly when
they see us designated as primary care providers. Additionally, we would expect
the Department of Veterans Affairs to make an all out effort behind the scenes
to oppose this provision. We
have accomplished a great deal in a short period of time.
During the past week we sent out 15,000 faxes and 10,000 emails, and made
30 congressional visits. Chiropractic's voice was heard as I knew it would be.
But we have to raise our voice once more. Please go to our Web site for
additional information, and call your member of Congress today indicating your
support for the chiropractic amendment to HR 2792. If you need a list of members
on the VA Committee, go to: http://www.acatoday.com/government/100101.html CONTRIBUTIONS
TO LAWSUIT Vendors
and state associations continue to show their support for the lawsuit. Over the
past two weeks the following contributions of note were submitted: Connecticut
Chiropractic Association ($1,000, bringing its total to $7,000); Montana
Chiropractic Association ($1,500 bringing its total to $12,000); Northwest
Alabama Chiropractic Society ($750 bringing its total to $1,250); and Lloyd
Table Company ($4,000 bringing its total to $6,000). Thanks for the support.
Have you made your contribution today? MEDICALLY
UNDERSERVED AREAS DESIGNATED BY OPM On
September 21, 2001, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management identified those
states constituting "medically underserved areas (MUA)" for the
purposes of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) for 2002. Under
federal law (5 U.S.C. 8902(m)(2); 5 CFR 890.701) chiropractors in those states
may be reimbursed for all covered services within their scope of practice
provided to FEHB participants in all non-HMO FEHB plans. The MUA states for 2002
are: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New
Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. U.S.
ARMY HOLDS CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS COMMISSION OF CHIRORPACTORS Later
this month the U.S. Army health section has scheduled a special conference in
San Antonio, Texas, to look at the issue of commissioning of chiropractic
doctors and how they could be utilized in the upcoming response to terrorism.
Chiropractic doctor members of the chiropractic oversight will be at the
conference making presentations. I
can't emphasize enough the significance of this action. The army has been the
most conservative of the military branches and the most resistant to change.
Positive things are happening nationally. EVP
ADVISORY COMMITTEE CALL Last
Tuesday, I reinstated the monthly Executive Vice President Advisory Committee
Conference Call. The calls provide an opportunity for state association
executive directors to discuss with the ACA vice presidents, legal counsel and
me the myriad issues that face state executive directors. It also provides the
ACA with the opportunity to discuss our key programs and solicit their support.
On this call the following issues were discussed: The new chiropractic benefit
in FEHP, State National Guard/Chiropractic Commissioned Officers, HIPPA, CDI
edits, and a discussion about upcoming veterans legislation. The states that
participated include Colorado, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Arizona, Kentucky,
Texas, North Dakota, Illinois and North Carolina. Our next scheduled call is
Tuesday, November 6th at 1:00 pm et. FOOT
LEVELERS PRESENTS $452,000 TO RED CROSS Dr.
Kent Greenawalt reported that his company presented a check of $450,000 to the
American Red Cross to help in the relief efforts. As you will recall, Foot
Levelers offered to match up to $200,000 in contributions from chiropractic
doctors. The response was outstanding. The ACA decided to participate in this
effort so instead of submitting the numerous checks we had received directly to
the Red Cross, we decided to send the checks to Foot Levelers so that the
contribution would be enhanced. ACA ended up being the largest contributor to
Foot Levelers. Among
the checks we received, it is important to note the major contributions received
from Logan Chiropractic College. The Logan SACA chapter presented a check for
$2,000, and we also received a check for $1,650 from a company called the
Outlaws T's of Star Valley, Wyoming, whose owners have a son attending Logan
College. The company sells patriotic t-shirts, among other things. They sent ten
shirts beautiful t-shirts to the ACA. I
feel real good about the involvement of the ACA in this effort. A
SEMINAR YOUR CA SHOULD NOT MISS Topic:
Risk Management Date/Time: October 16, 2001, 1:00 - 2:30 pm EST This conference
is the last in the 2001 series and will explore confidentiality, personal
relationships, insurance and billing therapy, x-ray and examination, and other
potential areas of risk. This live, interactive call features a question and
answer session, providing an optimal learning environment for your staff.
Handouts included at no extra cost. To
learn more about the phone conference series, visit: http://www.acatoday.com/products/pm_products.html To
register, call 800/986-4636 or email Teri Howell at thowell@amerchiro.org. STRONG
ACA PRESENCE AT PARKER COLLEGE Dr.
Fabrizio Mancini, president of Parker College submitted 75 membership
applications of his freshman class along with a check covering the dues for the
duration of their stay. In the accompany letter he states, "We at Parker
College are also mindful of the fact that without the tireless vigil you keep on
upcoming legislation, and without your attempts at disseminating public services
messages, our profession would seriously falter. Recognizing all the above, we
feel that future doctors should be a part of the solution and not part of the
problem." Couldn't
say it better myself. LEADERSHIP
IN MICHIGAN Last
weekend, Dr. Wills flew to Dearborn, MI, to speak at the convention of the
Michigan Chiropractic Society. He was given three different opportunities to
speak to the attendees promoting ACA activities, including the lawsuit. Dr. Ed
Maurer and Dr. Phil Knight presented a $2,000 check from the Michigan
Chiropractic Network. Dr. Wills succeeded in bringing in additional members, as
the response to his presentations was excellent. EVP
IN INDIANA This
past weekend, I joined Dr. Bob Tennant, delegate to Indiana, as I attended the
meeting of the Indiana State Chiropractic Association. I was given the
opportunity to address the members of the board and the association's
membership, and I was the luncheon speaker. In each forum, I discussed ACA
activities, including the lawsuit, as well as the recent success with the
Veterans Administration bill. Ed Tracey, executive director of the association,
runs a good organization that understands the importance of politics in
achieving success for this profession. For example, their membership district
lines are drawn along congressional lines.
That certainly keeps the importance of politics at front and center.
Three members of the Indiana Congressional Delegation, including Steve Buyer,
will be voting on the chiropractic VA amendment next Wednesday.
You can be sure that they will hear from Ed and the doctors from Indiana. PRESIDENT
AND CHAIRMAN ATTEND DISTRICT MEETINGS OF THE FEDERATION OF CHIROPRACTIC
LICENSING BOARDS As members of their respective state licensing boards, ACA Chairman Dr. James Edwards and ACA President Dr. Daryl Wills attended the district meetings of the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards this past weekend in Montana. They were given the opportunity to provide a full report on ACA activities including the lawsuits. |
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