DCs gather in Washington for Chiropractic Coalition Legislative Day

Hundreds of chiropractors and chiropractic advocates from around the world converged recently on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC for the Chiropractic Coalition Legislative Day. They met with legislators who have the power to make decisions that directly or indirectly affect the welfare of every person on the planet.

“We know it is our moral obligation to make good long-standing relationships with our legislative leaders so they will not only value and trust our opinion as health and wellness experts, but seek out our opinion so that they may make informed decisions on these matters,” stated Stephanie Grenier, DC, a member of the World Chiropractic Alliance Board of International Governors. “The ultimate outcome is that we leave our legislators educated in the chiropractic lifestyle so that they make and pass legislation that is truly in the best interest of the public, leading to a healthy subluxation-free world full of people who have the freedom and knowledge to make educated health care choices that resonate with their belief system.”

Participants heard enthusiastic words of support from Representatives Don Manzullo (R-IL), Jeb Bradley (R-NH), Bob Filner (D-CA), as well as Senators Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT), Harry Reid (D-NV), Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) during the legislative day “rally” held in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, diagonally across the grounds from the Capitol’s Senate wing.

In addition, doctors met personally with their legislators either individually or in state “contingents” and discussed important issues such as chiropractic wellness principles, the importance of subluxation correction, the role of chiropractic in health care and the need to reduce health care costs.

The meetings also focused on gaining support for:

**  HR 1594, the Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Retirees and Dependents Act, which provides for direct access to subluxation-based chiropractic services for military dependents and retirees through the federal TRICARE program;

**  HR 917, which provides for direct access to subluxation-based chiropractic care for veterans with no need for a referral;

**  enforcement of the 1992 policy allowing the commissioning of Doctors of Chiropractic as officers in the US Military Services; and

**  regulations that would permit chiropractors to opt out of the Medicare program and authorize private contracting with Medicare beneficiaries.

The Chiropractic Coalition was founded in 2002 by the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA), the International Chiropractors Association (ICA), and the Federation of Straight Chiropractors and Organizations (FSCO). The mission of this cooperative effort is to promote -- without intrusion into the realms of other professions --  

chiropractic science and practice as a separate and distinct, drugless and non-surgical approach to health that mobilizes the body’s natural healing abilities.

The 2005 Legislative Day was considered an even greater success than the inaugural event last year, said Terry A. Rondberg, DC, WCA president. “Unless you were there, you can’t imagine the energy and passion in that room. We fully realized the power we held in our hands and were determined to use it to benefit our profession and take a step closer to our dream of a subluxation-free world,” he noted.

ICA Legislative Committee Chairman Dr. Michael S. McLean observed: “The strength demonstrated by the Coalition partners, and the spirit of cooperation and commitment to common goals, are of great benefit to the chiropractic profession and strong, encouraging and motivating factors as we work to move chiropractic forward on Capitol Hill.”