In order to benefit America's Medicare patients, The American Chiropractic Association’s House of Delegates passed a resolution in February 2015 making Medicare parity a top legislative priority of the association. Chiropractic inclusion in the Medicare program, which is essentially coverage of one service: manual manipulation of the spine to correct a spinal joint dysfunction (subluxation), was established in 1972. This coverage has seen little change since, other than elimination of the X-ray requirement in 1997 – despite aggressive lobbying efforts by ACA and its members for decades. This means seniors are being denied the full range of chiropractic services, i.e., examinations, x-rays and ancillary therapies, that could help them lead healthier and happier lives with much less out of pocket expense.
Petition to White House and Members of Congress
Give Seniors the Medicare Coverage They Need and Deserve: Full Access to and Reimbursement for Services Provided by Doctors of Chiropractic
Studies have shown that essential services provided by doctors of chiropractic (DCs) can help aging Americans live healthier and happier lives, yet every day our nation's seniors are being unjustly denied full access to Medicare covered services by doctors of chiropractic that could improve their quality of life.
Why? Because the federal government continues to rely on an antiquated statute that discriminates against Medicare’s chiropractic patients by not covering medically necessary and mandated services delivered by DCs.
This needs to stop. Our aging population deserves the best health care this nation has to offer. And research has shown that safe and effective services provided by DCs are a part of the solution.
I urge you to help pass legislation to correct this inequity in Medicare.
Sign the Petition*
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has launched a major grassroots campaign to enact federal legislation that would achieve full physician status for doctors of chiropractic in Medicare. This initiative would significantly improve the health and wellness of our nation's aging population.
National Medicare Equality Petition
The Time for Change is NOW
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has launched a major grassroots campaign to enact federal legislation that would achieve full physician status for doctors of chiropractic in Medicare. This initiative would significantly improve the health and wellness of our nation's aging population -- and your support is urgently needed.
The National Medicare Equality Petition will raise awareness of how the current Medicare system shortchanges seniors who want and need the essential services provided by doctors of chiropractic (DCs) to stay healthy, pain free and mobile, and how DCs can be a part of the solution for what ails the U.S. health care system.
ACA is encouraging doctors of chiropractic across the country to ask their patients and other chiropractic supporters to sign the petition (links below) and add their names to a growing list of Americans who want rightful access to and full reimbursement for services provided by doctors of chiropractic for themselves or their loved ones who are Medicare patients. The plan is to let signers of the petition have their voice heard in Washington through a series of targeted grassroots campaigns to contact their members of Congress and demand a solution to this problem. The ultimate goal is to create a groundswell of support that Congress cannot ignore.
Sign the Petition*