ICA Delivers Strong Subluxation-based Presentation To Department of Veterans Affairs
Ronald M. Hendrickson, ICA Executive Director
Representatives of the International Chiropractors Association were among the participants in an historic meeting held on February 24, 2000 in Washington, D.C., at which the future of chiropractic services in federal veterans programs was extensively discussed. Called by senior officials at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, this conference was part of that agency’s effort to consult with the chiropractic profession as they work to fulfill the mandate of Congress to “. . .establish a policy for VHA regarding the role of chiropractic treatment in the care of veterans.”
The Veterans’ Millennium Health Care Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to have a proposal ready for Congress in the weeks immediately ahead. Dr. Michael McLean, Operational Chairman of ICA’s Legislative Committee, Dr. Donald Hirsh, ICA Legislative Committee Member and Ronald M. Hendrickson, ICA Executive Director, comprised ICA’s delegation to this gathering. Other organizations represented included the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, the American Chiropractic Association, the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards, and the World Chiropractic Alliance. Persons supposedly representing a “chiropractic medicine” group were also present.
The Department of Veterans Affairs was represented by nearly a dozen senior administrators and policy makers. “I was encouraged by the number and rank of DVA officials present at this meeting, and the seriousness with which they seemed to be taking this congressional charge,” said Dr. Michael McLean. “ICA has been lobbying for meaningful access for veterans to chiropractic services since 1936. This is a program that is long, long overdue.”
ICA’s written presentation provided extensive details on the definitions and authorities under which the chiropractic profession practices, with special attention paid to the legal authorities establishing chiropractic in the various states, and the basic nature of essential chiropractic care. “ICA’s presentation had a very definite subluxation focus. This proved to be very important both because the other organizations present largely ignored the subluxation as the primary clinical component of chiropractic and because the representatives of the “chiropractic medicine group” present took great pains to try and attack the whole idea of subluxation,” Dr. McLean continued.
ICA’s representatives spoke forcefully and extensively on the unique nature of the chiropractic adjustment and how chiropractic services differ from other manual procedures and “medical spinal manipulation” as applied by physical therapists, osteopaths or other medical providers. ICA’s 50-page paper also outlined the current research that supports the efficacy of chiropractic for a wide range of health situations, but ICA spokespeople were careful to describe the difference between “treatment” of such conditions with chiropractic care and the enhancement of the body’s self-healing ability because of the removal of nerve interference through the adjustment process.
ICA also offered a body of recommendations for the DVA which read as follows:
The International Chiropractors Association urges the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive access program that begins with the full-time employment of doctors of chiropractic as professional care givers in Department facilities. The DVA should promptly take such steps as are required to provide for reasonable and timely access to chiropractic services at DVA treatment facilities, including hospitals and clinics.
ICA recognizes that facility-based care is impractical in many instances because of demographic and other reasons. In such instances, the DVA should establish a basis for out-patient care according to agreed protocols, especially in remote and underserved areas of the nation.
In the accessing of chiropractic care, the determination of the need to seek chiropractic care should be at the discretion of the patient. All other federal programs such as Medicare and FEHBP programs provide for such direct access. The unique nature of chiropractic science and practice make it difficult for non-chiropractic doctors to easily recognize the need for and appropriateness of chiropractic care. Thus, direct access provides for an effective means of access that will not delay, confuse or otherwise prevent a beneficiary’s access to the care of first choice, while waiting for a referral that may never come.
DVA should undertake to fully orient existing personnel and review existing procedures to insure that the present system understands the potential of chiropractic care and works to facilitate, not obstruct a smooth implementation of a chiropractic benefits program. To this end, the establishment of a permanent chiropractic department, on par with other divisions, through which policies and procedures can be fully and effectively developed and implemented is indicated.
ICA urges the DVA to maintain an open and objective dialogue with chiropractic professional organizations and educational and research institutions. Such a dialogue should be broad based and inclusive, yet focused on the established organizations and institutions that have a demonstrated record of service to the chiropractic profession and the public. The International Chiropractors Association would seek participation in such an on-going dialogue and believes that the program and the profession would benefit by such an effort.
“ICA will be watching with great interest how the DVA proceeds to implement this important congressional direction,” said Dr. McLean. “If it appears that the Department is not serious in responsibly implementing a chiropractic services program, ICA will immediately introduce legislation that contains very specific implementation details, into both Houses of Congress and champion its immediate passage,” Dr. McLean stated. “I believe that the chiropractic profession, with the exception of those few fringe detractors in the so-called chiropractic medicine group, are united in their determination to make a meaningful chiropractic program for veterans happen this year. ICA certainly is and we stand ready to work with any and all chiropractic organizations to insure that our nation’s military veterans receive direct access to quality chiropractic services. They deserve no less.”
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