We Get Letters & E-Mail

Shrapnel from the DVA Bombshell

Editor's note: We were forwarded an interesting email exchange. It begins with Bruce Hansbrough,DC,DACBOH, sending this comment to the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA):

To whom it may concern:

One of the reasons the ACA and ICA are working together to pass critical legislation is that they have agreement on long-term objectives. Sabotaging their efforts by your efforts has made me suspicious of every work that comes from the WCA. Senators and representatives from my great state of Florida are baffled by what you're doing and look at your organization as "politically naïve."

Your PR campaign to keep chiropractic care from becoming a reality in the DVA (Editor's note: Department of Veterans' Affairs) has placed our profession in jeopardy once again. I am ashamed at what your organization has done to damage this critical piece of legislation. If you want to be subservient to the AMA, the AOA, and the APTA, then why not become a division of each. I'm sure they would like another servant organization like the WCA.

(Editor's note: Dr. Hansbrough received this reply from Terry Rondberg,DC, publisher of the Chiropractic Journal.)

I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter. You can (sic) you are an embarrassment to our profession. I'm not just being rude, you are just insignificant and damned arrogant.

You think chiropractors are qualified to be primary medical provider because you say you are? Doctor of Chiropractic are not even close to being qualified in performing differential diagnosis. You wouldn't know the difference between mitral regurgitation and aortic stenosis. You are not qualified to practice medicine no matter how much you think you are. I sure wouldn't want some mdwannabe (sic) trying to distinguish viral pneumonia from pulmonary hypertension on my chest x-ray.

So while I don understand your point, I still think you're full of shit. Chiropractoids like you embarrass the rest of us. As far as your crybaby, whiny-butt opinion of me, let me add that I can relate to your attitude, you remind me of when I was young and stupid. If you insist on practicing medicine then leave our profession alone and receive medical training. Stop trying to destroy the chiropractic profession.

I remain unimpressed by your opinions of me and more determined then ever to keep medipractors like you from destroying BJ's vision of bringing chiropractic to the world. Your pathetic ego fits in perfect with the other members of the Anti Chiropractic Association. We are all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.

I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.

Terry A. Rondberg, Chiropractor

Editor's note: This exchange continued, but you get the idea. Dr. Rondberg's subsequent comments to Dr. Hansbrough were even more caustic.

Dear Editor:

I am a chiropractor seemingly stranded on the island of Montana. Several months ago, doctors in the state began getting denied for the services of hot and cold therapy. Many of us complained to Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and eventually to our state insurance commissioner and the attorney for our Montana Chiropractic Association, Mark Staples. The last piece of correspondence came from a Blue Cross/Blue Shield VP, Mark Burzynski: "Hot and cold packs (97010) are considered an integral part of the same types of treatments provided by physical therapists, occupational therapists and osteopathic physicians. The use of hot and cold packs have been inclusive in the treatments of these other disciplines (physical therapy, occupational therapy and osteopathic manipulation) for years and have not been compensated separately. This is a very good equitable compensation for like services rendered by different providers. As stakeholders in the health care system, providers rendering like services to subscribers should be compensated similarly, not one more than another."

This is the most wonderful news I've heard in a long time. We now have in writing the admission of inequitable compensation and discrimination of chiropractors by a Blue Cross/Blue Shield official. We need to pursue legal action to ensure that chiropractors are now reimbursed at the same rate as the PTs, OT's and DOs for all manipulations, exams and modalities.

We have had no response to our inquiries by either the ACA or Staples. Can you help get the word out so we can get the ball rolling for all our sakes?

Bryan Hilborn,DChelchiro@initco.net

Gentlemen:

First, thank you for printing my letter under your headline, "How a Practitioner-Owned Company Does Business."

However, I must point out an error in the editing of the letter: In the third-to-last paragraph, last sentence, DC wrote, " . . . Member complaints are a low two percent per 1,000 members."

The sentence should have read, " . . . Member complaints are a low .02 per 1,000 members." The difference is significant. Two percent per 1,000 members is the equivalent of 20 complaints. CHP's complaint ratio is .02 per 1,000 members, or .002%.

My thanks for making this correction.

Richard Brinkley
rbrinkley@chpnetworks.com

Dear Editor:

I was surprised yet pleased to see my letter in the Oct. 31, 2000 edition of DC - surprised because this letter was meant to be an inquiry to the DC staff as to how this situation might be presented to the chiropractic profession. Since the letter was published, I would like to now elaborate for those who may have some questions regarding the situation.

For those unable to reach the site, the internet posting of which I spoke is as follows: "In the State University system of New York, chiropractic degrees are being accepted as qualifications for academic professorial positions in biology and allied health departments. They have even been granted the pay differential for having a PhD. I am a member of such a department and need help and advice as how to deal with a situation, which I view as giving chiropractic a bully pulpit to preach nonscience to gullible undergraduates." ( It can be found at: http://www.hcrc.org/wwwboard/messages/362.shtml.)

This posting was apparently made by a colleague of mine in the biology department at Nassau Community College. To date, no individual has come forth to deny the posting.

Many chiropractic schools proclaim in their mission statements that they prepare students to function as clinicians, researchers and educators. The profession needs to be aware of the problems we as academicians at nonchiropractic schools face. The same biases that exist in the clinical setting exist in academia.

Since this posting was identified, the administration of Nassau Community College has made no comment. This causes me to wonder how the administration feels about me and other chiropractors as full-time faculty members.

The PhDs, EdDs and DPMs within my department are apparently within the accepted group of educators, but those of us holding a doctor of chiropractic degree should not even receive a pay differential for a PhD (as the EdDs and DPM do).

I am very interested in hearing from other chiropractors, especially those who teach in the non-chiropractic academic arena, regarding their experiences and how we as a profession should proceed with this problem.

(My e-mail address in the Oct. 31, 2000 edition was incorrect.) My contact information is:

Dr. John J. Spano
Biology Department
Nassau Community College
Garden City, New York 11530-6793

John J. Spano,
MS, DC, JD, CCSP, DACAN
Dix Hills, New York
dcjd616@msn.com

Dear Editor:

My name is Jack Du Bois. I am a retired DC. I now have myasthenia gravis and am interested in finding out if any other DCs have been stricken.

Can you ask any DCs with MG to contact me at dubois@wave.net? I would like to talk to them and see if we can trace anything down or come up with some treatment.

Jack Du Bois

Dear Editor:

I thought the attached correspondence from the University of California at Davis Medical Center was about as arrogant as I have ever received:

"Dear Dr. Grove:

"The enclosed brochure introduces you to the UC Davis Spine Program, an interdisciplinary collaboration of the UC Davis Health System faculty. Our program is unique to the region, combining at one location the expertise of orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, pain management and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists. This approach is convenient for you and your patients and helps determine the most appropriate treatment approach.

"We are now accepting referrals for patients with spinal diseases, fractures, deformities, degenerative conditions of problems with previous surgeries. Please review the brochure and consider which of your patients could benefit from our program. We have included an insert with the background of each clinical team member. For your convenience, a punch-out Rolodex card is included on the back cover. To make a referral, you may call the UC Davis Physician Referral Line at 1-800-4UCDAVIS (800-482-3284) We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,
Munish Gupta, MD
Clinical Director
UC Davis Spine Program"

I could not resist replying:

Dear Dr. Gupta,

How very kind of you to inform me that an interdisciplinary collaboration at UC Davis awaits my referral. Missing from your spinal program, or course, were chiropractors - many of who have earned diplomates in neurology, orthopedics and radiology.

It may interest you to know that many of my patients are here because of previously unsuccessful treatment by orthopedists, neurologists and physical therapists. Because these patients are often cautioned against chiropractic care, we see them long after the acute phases of their complaints have passed, delaying and often hindering their recovery.

Despite studies that demonstrate that back pain is often a mechanical phenomenon best treated by mechanical means (e.g., chiropractic adjustments) your program seems, therefore, inadequate. In addition, shouldn't part of a patient's right to informed consent in treatment options include chiropractic care?

Sincerely,
Lewis Grove,DC
Mount Shasta, CA

Dear Editor:

Last year, I traveled across what used to be called Czechoslovakia and visited several towns and cities by train. Czechoslovakia is now two new countries: the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

I expected to find nations impoverished by the aftereffects of 50 years of communism.

What I found was two nations that are very beautiful - both in their national scenic beauty and in their role in the history of central Europe, which is visible everywhere. I saw scenic mountains in Slovakia, and beautiful ancient villages, towns and cities with well-behaved, serious and hardworking men and women.

For a people that endured both Nazi and communist occupation, they have seized their opportunity for freedom since 1990, and have created nations where one can walk the streets at night without fear.

There is no chiropractic profession at present, but the opportunities for chiropractic boggle the mind. The opportunity exists now to make a real contribution to both chiropractic and an entire population of people that have never benefited from what we have to offer.

Sandwiched between Germany and Austria, the Czech Republic is more like Western Europe than any other country in Eastern Europe. It is industrialized and has many towns and cities where chiropractors could be important health care providers and respected professionals. It is like Western Europe, except the cost of living is much less expensive, although in time it will be like Austria and Germany in their standards of living. So, a window of opportunity exists to those who would be willing to invest the necessary effort and time.

I was impressed - and I humbly suggest that the leaders of our profession should consider my few words and take a look at this new frontier, which is in many respects freer than life here in the U.S.

Consider me the first one on the list of any expedition.

Sincerely,
William Carter,DC
Madisonville, LA

...because it gives you the chance to be an ordinary bloke who does extra things. For example, recently the Chiropractors Association of Australia formally acknowledged Douglas Winter. His career reflects the range of contributions that a chiropractor can make to his profession.

Graduation:

• Graduated Wellington Teachers College 1951
• Victoria University, 1954
• Palmer School of Chiropractic, 1959
• University of Western Australia. 1978
• Organizations - NZ/Australia
• Member, New Zealand Chiropractors' Association, 1960-1965
• Member, Australian Chiropractors' Association (ACA) 1965-1992
• Member, Chiropractors' Association of Australia, 1992 to present

• President, WA branch of ACA, 1969-72
• Member WA Chiropractors' Registration Board, 1969-72
• WA federal delegate, ACA, 1972-83
• Federal 1st vice-president, ACA, 1972-80
• Federal president, ACA, 1981-83
• Member, Course Advisory Committee P.I.T., 1976-82
• Member, Board of Governors, Australian Spinal Research Foundation, 1976-88
• Member, Research Committee, ASRF, 1984 to present
• Life Member, CAA (WA) Ltd. 1994
• Life Member, Australian Spinal Research Foundation, 1990
• President, Australian Spinal Research Foundation, 1980-85
• Chairman, Australasian Committee on Chiropractic Education, 1972-75
• Founding president, Australasian Council on Chiropractic Education, 1976-1980
• Member, Council International College of Chiropractic,1976-81
• Meritorious Service Award, ICC, 1978
• Award of Merit, ACA (Federal), 1978
• Merit Award, ASRF, 1988
• Centennial Service Award, CAA (WA Branch), 1995
• ASRF Douglas Winter Bursary, established 1995

• ACA (Federal) Chiropractic Inclusion in Rehabilitation, 1972
• Chiropractic and Repatriation (Justice Toose), 1974
• A Course of Chiropractic at Murdoch University, 1974
• Chiropractic: A Submission to the Federal Enquiry (Webb Committee) 1974
• A Course of Chiropractic at an Australian university, 1975
• A Course of Chiropractic at Griffith University, 1976
• Chiropractic and the Care of War Veterans, 1979
• Chiropractic: A Review of the National Health Scheme (Layton Enquiry) 1986 Review of WA Medical Act 2000.

Dear Colleagues:

During my 11 years of practice, I have witnessed the cost of health care rise and profits of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries increase, while the health of our population and the environment continues to decline. During this time, access to health promoting alternatives such as chiropractic has become more limited, and there has been no focused effort to understand the relationship between environmental degradation and one's state of wellness. The connection between these phenomena and the current degree of special interest control of our political process is painfully obvious.

As the political system seems to be irreparably damaged, the time has come for culturally progressive organizations and individuals to create a new political system; one that fully represents the rights and desires of every citizen. Fortunately, we now have a viable option - the Natural Law Party - and our presidential candidate, Dr. John Hagelin, a world-renowned quantum physicist (http://www.hagelin.org), poised to implement proven, life-affirming and sustainable solutions to the many problems that have eroded the quality of life for all Americans and the entire world.

The Natural Law Party specifically addresses the need to replace our current "disease" care system with a true "health" care system by promoting policies that will strengthen the overall health of the nation. These policies include structuring meaningful benefits options that provide for the use of alternative therapies and provide funding for broader research into the forms of health restoration and maintenance that are most effective. Over the past century, chiropractic has thrived within a political/corporate framework that has given nonmedical approaches minimal support and often actively impedes their delivery. I am excited by the prospect of sharing the gift of chiropractic while having the full support of our government.

The Natural Law Party's broad-visioned platform (http://www.natural-law.org) is based upon understanding and applying the laws of nature in a way that allows for the most effective and efficient expression of life force energy. Policies and programs include promoting sustainable organic agriculture, renewable energy, educational innovations, ending special interest control of politics, and much more.

Most importantly, the Natural Law Party seeks to create a government that truly represents the will of every American citizen by allowing all individuals and organizations to have access to the formation of public policy. Currently, there are many organizations and individuals working to create environmentally and economically sustainable, socially just, and healthier society. I encourage you to support the John Hagelin and Nat Goldhaber ticket, as they provide a means to unify the power of the vast majority of Americans whose concerns and aspirations are now not being represented.

Michael F. Garger,DC
66 West Barclay Street
Hicksville, NY 11801
(516) 939-0031