New Legislation to Include DCs in USPHS Commissioned Corps
Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) has introduced H.R. 3851, legislation designed to include doctors of chiropractic in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and Ready Reserve Corps. The USPHS Commissioned Corps, one of the country's seven uniformed service branches, currently includes more than 6,000 public health professionals representing diverse health care professions – but to date, no doctors of chiropractic. H.R. 3851 would change all that, requiring the president, in consultation with the surgeon general and secretary of Health and Human Services, to appoint at least six DCs to the Commissioned Corps.
"H.R. 3851 will allow DCs to join forces with other health care providers in the fight against disease, poor health conditions and other threats during both non-emergency and emergency periods for our country," said Dr. Anthony Hamm, ACA president, in a press release announcing the new legislation. "We extend our appreciation to Rep. Green for his effort to introduce this long-overdue legislation."
To learn more about the USPHS Commissioned Corps and Ready Reserve Corps, click here.
NCAI Supports Chiropractic
The National Congress of American Indians has passed a resolution supporting the inclusion of doctors of chiropractic in the Indian Health Service (IHS) and tribal health care facilities. Doctors of naturopathic medicine and licensed acupuncturists also are supported in the resolution, which emphasizes that the professions "specialize in natural therapies, spinal manipulation, health promotion and wellness consistent with the culturally-connected therapies of our First Peoples"; and that "research has shown that patients managed by [these providers] show dramatically reduced pharmaceutical costs, reductions in surgeries, reduction of inpatient hospital admissions and days spent in hospitals."
