The Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act is now in the hands of the Senate.
Peter W. Crownfield
In our April 23 issue, we pondered whether Congress would "finally act" and ensure chiropractors are on staff at every VA hospital. On May 23, 2007, the House of Representatives answered that question with a resounding yes, passing H.R.1470, the Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act, by a 421 to 1 margin. If approved by the Senate and then signed by the president, the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 will be amended to require that chiropractic care and services be provided to "all veterans at all Department of Veterans Affairs [DVA] medical centers ... at not fewer than 75 medical centers by not later than December 31, 2009, and at all medical centers by not later than December 31, 2011."
Representative Bob Filner (D-Calif.) introduced H.R.1470 on March 12, 2007, where it moved quickly through the House. Only four days after its introduction, the legislation was referred from the House Committee on Veterans Affairs to the Subcommittee on Health. Just over a month later, on April 26, the subcommittee held hearings, and by May 10, H.R.1470 had been forwarded to the Full Committee by unanimous consent. By May 24, the House had passed the bill and forwarded it to the Senate, where it was read twice and then referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. As of press time (June 6), no further action had been taken.
On the same day he introduced H.R.1470, Rep. Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, introduced H.R.1471, the Better Access to Chiropractors to Keep Our Veterans Healthy Act. H.R.1471 mandates that veterans have direct access to chiropractic care at VA hospitals and clinics. It would amend Title 38 of the United States Code "to permit eligible veterans to receive direct access to chiropractic care."
Among the proposed amendments to Title 38, "The Secretary shall permit eligible veterans to receive needed medical services, rehabilitative services, and preventative health services from a licensed doctor of chiropractic on a direct access basis at the election of the eligible veteran, if such services are within the State scope of practice of such doctor of chiropractic. ... The Secretary shall not discriminate among licensed health-care providers in the determination of needed services."
As was the case with H.R.1470, H.R.1471 was referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs on March 12 and to the House Subcommittee on Health on March 16. Subcommittee hearings were held on April 26; as of June 6, no further action had been taken.
Currently, less than one-third of the nation's 154 major VA medical facilities have a chiropractor on staff - not exactly what the chiropractic profession envisioned when President Bush signed the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001. A provision in that historic piece of legislation, signed into law on Jan. 23, 2002, mandated the establishment of a permanent chiropractic benefit within the DVA health care system.
To track the latest congressional actions involving H.R.1470 and H.R.1471, visit www.thomas.gov. In the "Legislation in Current Congress" section, enter the complete bill number (e.g., H.R.1470) in the "Search Bill Text" box. Make sure you are searching by bill number, not by word/phrase.
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