Every so often, a politician transcends party politics and speaks straight to the heart of issues that matter to their constituents. In this country, we are experiencing a crippling opioid epidemic, and yet no one is talking about the contributions of chiropractors.
Michelle Steel is running for Congress in the 48th district in California (coastal Orange County). For the past eight years, she has advocated for chiropractors from her position as chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Her husband, Shawn Steel, is one of California's leading advocates for chiropractic as the founder of a chiropractic law firm, former appointee to the California Chiropractic Association (CCA) board of directors, and now lecturer of ethics and jurisprudence at all three of California's chiropractic colleges.
Michelle believes we can't talk honestly about the opioid crisis without elevating chiropractic to a national standard to get those with chronic pain out of PCP offices, ERs, and inevitably, pharmacies and into DC offices for narcotic-free treatment. She understands the inequity of Medicare's refusal to pay DCs the same for the same treatment rendered by MDs. And she believes that every man and woman in uniform should have access to a lifetime of chiropractic treatment for the injuries they sustained in service to our nation. This is unlike any member of Congress who has come before her.
Over the years, many legislators have pledged their support for chiropractic in the hopes of receiving an endorsement or contributions. Some have even sponsored pro-chiropractic legislation, but to no avail. The bill currently before the House to extend chiropractic benefits to Armed Services members, for example, has died in committee every year for over a decade. Not a single member of Congress has truly championed this issue and pushed the legislation through the arduous process necessary to get a bill to the president's desk for his signature.
It takes a real advocate to truly shine a national spotlight on this crucial profession to raise awareness for the necessity for widespread access to drug-free treatment options in this country – and that advocate is Michelle Steel.
Editor's Note: Interested in learning more about Michelle and her campaign platform? Visit https://www.michellesteelca.com/about/.
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