A hearing on H.R. 608, the bill to commission DCs in the military, is scheduled for April 30, 1992 before a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. The Military Personnel and Compensation Subcommittee chaired by Beverly Byron (D-Maryland) will hear from a panel chosen by representatives of the ACA and ICA. The panel, yet to be selected, is expected to include not only testimony from DCs, but from a non-chiropractor, and perhaps an M.D., or an M.D./D.C.
"We are currently working with the bill's chief sponsor, Congressman Lane Evans (D-Ill), and the committee staff to determine a suitable witness list," said Paul Kelly, ACA director of government relations. "In fact, Mr. Kelly noted, "the ACA hosted a meeting with ICA this very morning (March 20) to help coordinate the preparation of pro-chiropractic testimony for the hearing."
The exciting news for chiropractic came when Richard Miller, ACA's director of government relations told Dynamic Chiropractic that Strom Thurmond (R-SC), the sponsor of the Senate version of H.R. 608, announced he will appear before the subcommittee as a witness in support of the legislation.
Mr. Miller said it was unusual for a Senator to testify before a House committee in support of a bill and clearly reflected Senator Thurmond's deep support for the proposal.
"Thurmond is well respected by the Pentagon establishment," Mr. Miller observed, "and this should help send a signal to DOD that he and others in the Congress are serious in their support for this initiative."
There are currently 71 co-sponsors of H.R. 608: 51 Democrats; 19 Republicans; and one independent. Half of the 16 subcommittee members are co-sponsors of H.R. 608: Barbara Boxer (D-CA); Albert Bustamente (D-TX); Dennis Hertel (D-MI); George Hochbrueckner (D-NY); Martin Lancaster (D-NC); Owen Pickett (D-VA); Arthur Ravenel Jr. (R-SC); and Ike Skelton (D-MO).
"Before it's over, Mr. Miller concluded, "I'm confident we'll have a majority of the subcommittee on our side, principally because the grassroots efforts of the profession are really paying off."
Many relevant diagnostic signs are not performed deliberately by the examiner or by the patient at the examiner’s direction. They are observed as the patient reacts to their condition. Fortin’s finger sign, Minor’s sign, and Vanzetti’s sign are three examples of this principle.
On Feb. 1, 2024, two more legislators – John R. Carter (R-Texas) and Robert “Bob” Good (R-Va.) – co-sponsored the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2023, bringing the co-sponsor total to 155, two more than the total achieved over the entire two-year congressional cycle in which identical legislation last appeared (2021-22).
While working at the Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, N.M., one of the primary care physicians stated that imaging every patient prior to receiving chiropractic was not medically necessary. It was at that point I reconsidered the need for the imaging of every patient to avoid malpractice.
