A recent article in The Washington Times listed "the 25 most effective grassroots lobbying organizations for healthcare." Some of the names were very predictable, based on their lobbying budgets, but for the first time, a chiropractic organization - the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) - made the top 25.
Michael T. Heaney, a research fellow with the American Political Science Association and the author of the ranking, conducted anonymous interviews with 77 health care aides to members of Congress from April-July 2003. The only chiropractic organization listed, the ACA was beaten by some pretty heavy hitters: the American Hospital Association (1st), American Medical Association (2nd), American Association of Retired Persons (3rd), Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (6th), AFL-CIO (13th), American Nurses Association (15th) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (17th).
However, in placing a respectable 19th, the ACA beat out a number of larger organizations, such as the United Auto Workers (20th), United States Chamber of Commerce (21st) and the American Physical Therapy Association (24th). No national osteopathic organizations were listed.
The top 25 were selected from more than 300 organizations that lobbied for Medicare reform. They were ranked based on their ability to build grassroots support for their position. The ACA made the list due to the efforts of its members, other DCs and their patients in contacting their legislators regarding the Medicare issue. The ACA was also able to work with other chiropractic organizations to accomplish their goals.
