CHAMPUS is the federal health insurance for retired military personnel and for dependents of active duty personnel. Over five million men and women in the U.S. are covered by CHAMPUS.
The bill specifies:
"chiropractic care (including appropriate diagnostic activities and histories, examinations, appropriate diagnostic imaging procedures, such as x-rays, adjustment and manipulation of the spine and its articulations and extremities, and appropriate follow-up procedures) shall be provided by a licensed doctor of chiropractic."
Chronology
The bill was referred to the Department of Defense for "executive comment" on May 17, 1993 and referred to the Subcommittee on Military Forces and Personnel. On August 19, 1993, the DOD, as expected, gave an unfavorable executive comment, based on the CHAMPUS Demonstration Project report. But the bill continued to pick up support and currently has 23 co-sponsors, including Rep. Ron Dellums (D-CA), chairman of the powerful House Armed Services Committee.
The U.S. House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Forces and Personnel, chaired by Ike Skelton (D-MO), is scheduled to hold hearings on H.R. 2092 on April 28, 1994. The committee is composed of 10 democrats and six republicans. Committee members co-sponsoring the bill are:
Sam Farr (D-CA)
Martin Lancaster (D-NC)
Owen Pickett (D-VA)
Arthur Ravenel (D-SC)
Bart Stupak (D-MI)
James Talent (D-MO)
Craig Benton, DC, of Lampasas, Texas, who has worked these past few years to promote chiropractic inclusion in the military as a member of the Texas Chiropractic Association, asks the question: "Is it right that most major insurance companies in the U.S. will reimburse for chiropractic care, yet those men and women who have served their country faithfully in the armed forces for 20 plus years are denied chiropractic care?"
Dr. Benton said he hoped DCs around the country will raise their voices to defend their rights and the rights of their patients to remove these economic barriers. He added: "I cannot think of a better way the medical profession can control and contain chiropractic care than by creating federal policies which create economic barriers to seek chiropractic care."
Dynamic Chiropractic editorial staff members research, investigate and write articles for the publication on an ongoing basis. To contact the Editorial Department or submit an article of your own for consideration, email
.