The current Medicare Handbook states: "Medicare helps pay for only one kind of treatment furnished by a licensed chiropractor: manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation that can be demonstrated by x-ray. Medicare medical insurance does not pay for any other diagnostic or therapeutic services, including x-rays, furnished by a chiropractor."
It is a peculiar kind of reasoning that Medicare will cover treatment for a subluxation only if it is revealed by x-rays, but not cover the cost of the x-rays themselves. Medicare will reimburse MDs for diagnostic tests (including x-rays) but will not give DCs equal coverage.
United States Senator Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) will soon introduce an updated version of Senate bill S.2616, which aims to provide further reimbursement for chiropractic services under Medicare, notably for x-rays and physical exams. It must be noted that Medicare is consistent in excluding coverage of physicals by chiropractors -- MDs aren't covered either.
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) seeks to get as many senate cosponsors as possible to strengthen Senator Daschle's legislation when it finally is introduced.
The ACA has issued a "special action bulletin" that was mailed to its members and other leaders in chiropractic. In this bulletin the ACA explains they have composed a Medicare letter that is on file with the Western Union hotline operator #9810. All you need do is call the operator at 1-800-325-6000 and request that the letter be sent to both your state senators. Your name and address will be on the letters and Western Union will bill your phone number for a total charge of only $9.
"Basically, we are trying to more effectively inform the members when it is critical they take political action in support of a legislative or regulatory issue, said Kurt Hegetschweiler, chairman of the ACA Legislative Commission. "Without question, these priority communications can help galvanize our members into action -- and grassroots support for our legislative agenda must be achieved if we are going to be successful," he concluded.
"DC" was told by Senator Tom Daschle's office in Washington D.C., that this proposed legislation is generating many inquiries from other senate offices, due to the unusual volume of letters from their constituents. Clearly the ACA's bulletin has proved to be an effective device for getting chiropractic to respond on this issue.
The ACA governmental relations staff plans special alert bulletins to be issued every four to six weeks, depending on the importance of a particular issue and the status of any legislative or regulatory developments pertaining to it.
According to Richard Miller, director of governmental relations for the ACA, legislative alert bulletins will also be featured in select print media on occasion. "There will be times when we wish to reach the entire chiropractic community on an issue. The important thing is for all DCs to react promptly when they receive or see one of these alert bulletins." Richard Miller stated, "If DCs don't act to support what is in their best interest, who will?"
Steve Kelly
Assistant Editor