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."
ACA Supports New Legislation to Repeal "Flawed" Medicare Reimbursement Formula
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has joined with other provider groups to support legislation, S. 1776, introduced in Congress on Oct. 13 by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) that would permanently repeal the "flawed" formula that determines Medicare reimbursement rates.
Current federal law mandates that Medicare payments to physicians be modified annually using the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. The SGR formula ties payments to the national gross domestic product, and many in health care have expressed concerns that this system is neither accurate nor appropriate. Acknowledging problems associated with tying payments to the SGR, Congress for the past seven years has voted to overturn proposed fee cuts based on the formula.
On Oct. 16, ACA joined other health care provider organizations in the Patients' Access to Responsible Care Alliance (PARCA) to voice its strong support of ending the system that has for too long proposed unfair reimbursement rates. By joining with other providers, ACA underscores its belief that the current system is unacceptable for any health care professional.
"ACA is committed to supporting S. 1776, and any other legislation that addresses problems associated with the flawed SGR formula," said ACA President Rick McMichael, DC. "Health care services to our nation's Medicare beneficiaries should not be undervalued."
Source: American Chiropractic Association