While I have had the honor and privilege to have served in most of this profession's top leadership positions (ACA chairman, ACA treasurer and ACA-PAC chairman), I really believe I now have the best job in chiropractic! As the chairman of the National Chiropractic Legal Action Fund (NCLAF), it is my job to lead the NCLAF Board of Directors and the NCLAF Advisory Board in their efforts to fund legal actions against those who want to harm this profession and our patients.
While raising money for legal action is very hard work, it all becomes worth the effort when significant victories occur. And once again, the ACA and the NCLAF have accomplished a tremendous legal victory on behalf of doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic patients! As reported in the last issue of this publication,* Humana has agreed to a class-action settlement resolving claims on behalf of chiropractors and other health care providers in Solomon v. Anthem, et. al., pending before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
If approved by the court, Humana will pay $3.5 million to fund payments to class member doctors of chiropractic and other health care providers, as well as fees and costs advanced by class counsel. In addition to the cash fund described above, terms of the proposed settlement agreement with Humana include:
What great news! But some cynics/critics likely will ask, "Was the ACA's involvement really important to the settlement?" and "What did NCLAF contributors have to do with this tremendous victory?" I am so very glad you asked!
The ACA participated, through its legal counsel, in the settlement discussions and was a signatory to the proposed class-action settlement agreement. Moreover, as part of the settlement, doctors of chiropractic will be permitted to assign their portion of the recovery to the ACA, if they wish to do so. Based on those provisions, there is no question the ACA was involved intimately in the process.
With regard to the NCLAF's involvement, it was our loyal contributors who funded 100 percent of the legal cost associated with the ACA's legal involvement, which resulted in the $3.5 million settlement. And it is NCLAF monthly contributors who continue to fund the ongoing legal action against the other plaintiffs in the Solomon suit, including ACN and United Healthcare Services.
If you are not an ACA member, it is time for you to join the organization that is fighting for you! From the defeat of S.1955, to the filing of the ACN lawsuit, to the settlement with Humana, the ACA truly has earned your membership! And after joining the ACA, you should become a monthly contributor to the NCLAF.
Please, right now, while this is in front of you, join the fight to protect your practice, your profession and your patients by joining the ACA and becoming a monthly NCLAF contributor. Just send me a fax (775-254-4115) or an e-mail (JamesEdwards@JamesEdwards.com) and I will take care of all the details.
*For more information, see "Victory Against Managed Care Abuse: Humana Agrees to $3.5 Million Settlement in Class-Action Suit." Dynamic Chiropractic, Sept. 28, 2006. www.chiroweb.com/archives/24/20/01.html.
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?
