LACC Members of SACA Write to Congress
The Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (LACC) chapter of the Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA) organized a letter-signing campaign to help current and future doctors of chiropractic receive reimbursement for diagnostic x-rays required under Medicare. The letter, signed by more than 1,623 LACC students, was sent to nine Congress representatives: Henry Waxman (D-CA), Bart Gordon (D-TN), Blanche Lambert (D-AR), Gerry Studds (D-MA), Bart Stupak (D-MI), Ron Klink (D-PA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Cardiss Collins (D-IL), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
The letter reads:
Dear (Congress member):
I am writing to ask your help in ending years of discrimination against doctors of chiropractic and their profession. I am urging you to persuade President Clinton and those at the Department of Health and Human Services to direct the Medicare program to begin to reimburse doctors of chiropractic for diagnostic x-rays that they are required to take under Medicare law.
As you know, Medicare requires that an x-ray of a patient's spine be taken prior to a chiropractic treatment. However, under a blatantly unfair regulatory ruling, the Medicare program refuses to reimburse doctors of chiropractic for complying with this law.
The American Chiropractic Association has obtained an authoritative opinion from the former top attorney for Medicare, which concluded that the government has the full and legal authority to pay doctors of chiropractic for these required x-rays.
Please help to correct this obvious discrimination and backward restriction. I ask for your aid by speaking with the President or those at the Department of Health and Human Services, and insist that this regulation be reversed so doctors of chiropractic can be paid for following the law.
I continue to support you in your efforts to right this wrong and applaud you for any action taken on behalf of the more than 50,000 doctors of chiropractic and the millions of patients that they serve every year.
Thank you for your help.
Palmer College of Chiropractic West's recent Homecoming presented the symposium, "A Time to Re-focus," with keynote speaker Dr. Guy Riekeman, and a sports chiropractic workshop that showcased a "dream team" of sports chiropractors.
Dr. Riekeman, an international promoter of chiropractic for 25 years, and the driving force behind the production of chiropractic's documentary, "From Simple Beginnings," addressed the Palmer West crowd with his trademark motivational style and energy. Afterwards, the symposium attendees had the choice of eight panel sessions with over 15 DCs speaking.
The sports chiropractic workshop showcased a "dream team" of sports chiropractors including: Tim Brown, who treats professional athletes on the surfing, volleyball, and tennis tours; Jan Corwin, U.S. team chiropractor for the 1988 Olympics; Thomas Hyde, past president of the ACA Sports Council and chiropractic consultant for the Miami Dolphins football team; Abby Irwin, DC, international women's rugby, and other sporting events; John McDaniel, who worked with the 1996 Atlanta Sports Chiropractic Committee; Phillip Santiago, U.S. team chiropractor for the 1992 Olympics; and Terry Schroeder, four time Olympian with the U.S. water polo team.
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?
