Noteboom The Law Firm

Two New Bills Will Provide Increased Chiropractic Services Under VA or TRICARE

February 10, 2011 - If passed, the Chiropractic Care to All Veterans Act (H.R. 329) will provide for more chiropractic services. The bill would increase the services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and covered under the Department of Defense's (DoD) TRICARE healthcare system. Naturally, the bill is drawing generous support from both the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) as well as the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC).

The bill calls for chiropractic physicians serving every major VA medical facility by the end of 2014. Chiropractic services can currently be denied as a treatment, an issue H.R. 329 would remedy by revising the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001, the current statute. If passed, access to chiropractic benefits could never be denied because they would be incorporated into the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations.

Although Congress' past actions established chiropractic services at 36 VA medical facilities, there are still 100 facilities in major cities with large veteran populations operating without. These facilities are being deprived of being able to offer what has become a very valuable treatment. The VA recently released a report showing over 50% of returning veterans from the Middle East and Southwest Asia suffered from musculoskeletal issues.

At the same time, the Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act (H.R. 409) was introduced. This bill would cover chiropractic services under TRICARE for U.S. military retirees, their dependents, and their survivors. Chiropractic services are currently only available for active duty soldiers. Should both these bills pass, chiropractic benefits will become available to a very deserving population.