I have written several articles about the lawsuit ACA filed against HCFA over the Medicare issue. The lawsuit warrants yet another article, but this one is going to be short. I want to make a point that I believe strongly demonstrates the importance of the lawsuit.
One of the key points in the lawsuit is that because of HCFA's illegal regulation, non-chiropractors are allowed to render spinal manipulation to Medicare patients in HMOs, and chiropractic care rendered by chiropractors is being eliminated. Nothing drives that concern home like the following information ACA recently received.
The ACA, using the Freedom of Information Act, requested how much chiropractic care was being provided to Medicare patients in large HMOs. Here's just one example: PacifiCare of California reported they had 390,000 Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in its plan in 1996. Are you sitting down? Of those 390,000 members, only 38 received chiropractic care, and we don't even know if a doctor of chiropractic performed those 38!
Your support of this lawsuit is critical to its success. Send your checks to ACA's HCFA lawsuit:
Legal Action Fund/
HCFA Lawsuit
P.O. Box 75359
Baltimore, MD 21275
Recent laws in New Jersey and California represent a disturbing trend that will negatively impact a practice’s ability to collect monies from patients, as well as expose them to significant penalties if the practice does not follow the mandatory guidelines to a T. Please be aware that a similar law may be coming to your state. The time to act is before the law is passed.
With estimates showing over 30 million Americans affected by peripheral neuropathy – and a significant portion underdiagnosed – it’s increasingly likely that chiropractors are already treating these patients. What’s missing is structured recognition, comprehensive management and targeted tools to slow progression, improve function and support systemic health.
Each year, ICD-10-CM is updated on Oct. 1. For 2026, there are 74,179 total codes, with 487 additions, 28 deletions and 38 revisions. Code changes are based on date of service, not the claim submission date. Services performed on/after Oct. 1 must use the new codes. While no changes affect the common spinal or extraspinal codes most frequently used by DCs, several updates may still affect your claims – particularly for comorbidities, referred pain, or trauma cases.
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