Charles F. Roost, DC, FASBE
The Michigan Chiropractic Council on December 13, 1989 introduced a bill to amend the scope of practice for Michigan Chiropractors. This bill was referred to the Committee on Public Health and had numerous discussions concerning the scope of practice in Michigan have been held. At present time the United Auto Workers and the Economic Alliance of Michigan are against any bill for any healthcare professional which would expand scope or increase costs. The MCC has prepared material showing that Chiropractors do not increase cost but help reduce cost and that the scope bill is set to undo the infamous "Beno" Decision of the Supreme Court in Michigan.
The Beno Decision basically took one of the country's most liberal chiropractic scopes and turned it into a less than middle of the road one. A Chiropractor was accused of practicing outside the scope by x-raying outside the spine and using dyathermy and ultrsound. Along with prescribing and selling vitamin and mineral supplements.
The board of examiners at the time, along with the MCC, asked that this not be a test case because they felt the doctor was outside the scope at the time the case persisted and the result was that chiropractic was much narrower in scope than the MCC and the other organization who passed the law, in 1978. This new scope law does nothing to expand the present scope beyond what the scope was prior to the Beno Decision. It restores the right of doctors of chiropractic to generally examine patients to determine if they are amenable to chiropractic care or should be referred to another health care practioner and to monitor body physiology and for the purpose of detection of spinal subluxation or its effects on other body systems. The bill also allows for the specific x-ray of the pelvis or "other osseous articulation" of the human spine.
The present scope allows for physical therapy to be performed using heat, light, cold, and water. Physical therapy involving invasive procedures such as ultrasound or dyathermy may not be used in the state, nor could they prior to the Beno decision. This has not been addressed in this new scope but the MCC feels this should be addressed as a separate issue because it would be an expansion of our scope.
The most important thing we desire is the return to the pre-Beno Decision state where chiropractors, once again, could take on the responsibility of caring for patients in a responsible way. The MCC also supports IME doctors in their rightful position that is: doctors who practice full time can render and receive over 75 percent of their income from private practice rather than from insurance companies. Furthermore, MCC supports legislation to allow chiropractors in Michigan to refer to physical therapists.
Additionally,the MCC hopes that it would have the support of the other state association in this scope endeavor as no scope of practice can possibily pass without the support of both groups. Past State of Michigan Democratic Party Chairman, Mr. Richard Wiener has been working for the MCC for the past nine months. Mr. Wiener was also the runner up for the U.S. National Democratic Party chairmanship a year ago. He adds much needed expertise and we feel it would be a great benefit to the people of the state of Michigan. His unique qualifications have already helped the MCC accomplish many things concerning the chiropractic scope of practice in the state of Michigan.
