The ACA reports that four of the profession's smaller state associations are among the top six financial contributors to the National Chiropractic Legal Action Fund (NCLAF).
Those associations and their contributions are:
| • South Dakota Chiropractic Association* | $60,250 |
| • Kansas Chiropractic Association* | $42,500 |
| • North Dakota Chiropractic Association | $40,005 |
| • Nebraska Chiropractic Association | $40,001 |
| * including regional associations | |
For their size, these contributions are remarkable. The South Dakota Chiropractic Association, for example, has only 241 resident licensees in the state (according to the website of the South Dakota Board of Chiropractic Examiners).
The NCLAF was established primarily to fund the ACA's legal battles with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly called HCFA), and Trigon Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
The chiropractic profession has enjoyed some success with these lawsuits, notably when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently issued a policy directive that nonphysician physical therapists cannot provide manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation under the Medicare+Choice program. However, the more critical and expensive phases of the suits are ahead.
"Our opponents are hoping that we'll simply run out of money," explained ACA President Daryl Wills,DC. "It's time for those organizations and individuals that have been more reluctant to contribute to feel a sense of urgency, so that we can see these battles through to a victorious conclusion."
"Our chiropractic pioneers had the vision to dedicate their lives to serving humanity regardless of the consequences, even if it meant serving time in jail," observed Monte Greenawalt,DC, the NCLA national spokesman and founder of Foot Levelers, Inc. (Foot Levelers has contributed $25,000 to the fund.) "These legal battles are this generation's challenge. How we respond will affect our future and the future of chiropractic for decades to come," he asserted.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
