Earlier this year, four separate pieces of legislation were introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and one in the U.S. Senate that would expand patient access to the services provided by doctors of chiropractic in several federal health care delivery systems. It is very important that doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic students immediately contact their elected officials in Washington and urge that they cosponsor each of these measures.
BACKGROUND:
HR 542, the National Health Service Corps Improvement Act, introduced by Rep. Gregg Harper (MS), would include doctors of chiropractic as providers eligible to participate in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment program, one the largest federal loan relief programs. DCs can have up to $50,000 to repay their student loans in exchange for a two year commitment to work at an approved NHSC site in a high-need, underserved area. Read more here. See current cosponsor list here.
HR 802, the Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act, introduced by Rep. Mike Rogers (AL), would require the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to allow any beneficiary covered under TRICARE to select and have direct access to a chiropractic physician. Currently, only active duty members are afforded the chiropractic benefit. Read more here. See current cosponsor list here.
S. 398, the Chiropractic Care to All Veterans Act, introduced by Sens. Jerry Moran (KS) and Richard Blumenthal (CT), would require the VA to have a chiropractic physician on staff at all major VA medical facilities by 2017. It would also amend the current statute, the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001, ensuring that services provided by doctors of chiropractic are included in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations and therefore, cannot be denied. A House companion bill, HR 1170, has been introduced by Rep. Alan Grayson. Read more here. See current cosponsor list for S. 398 here. See current cosponsor list for HR 1170 here.
