As Medicare Contracted Advisory Committee Representative for NY, Dr. Lupinacci and I have been receiving many complaints regarding Medicare. As CAC reps, we work closely on these issues with the ACA. We also get many questions as to what we are doing to stop some of the unfair treatment we receive in Medicare. Dealing with CMS and the rules and regulations governing Medicare is a national issue, we wanted to share a communication from ACA with you:

With a little more than 24 hours until the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games, it's worth remembering that in 1979, track and field star Dwight Stones broke barriers and thrust chiropractic care into the Olympic spotlight in an interview on national TV, where he spoke about the important work being done by Leroy Perry, DC.

The District Court of Travis County, 250 Judicial District withdrew its opinion and judgment dated April 5, 2012, and substitute the following in its place. The motion for rehearing filed by appellee Texas Medical Association is denied.

Arlington, Va.- On June 28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a controversial 5 to 4 decision, declared the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to be constitutional, including the much disputed "individual mandate" provision which requires individuals to purchase health insurance coverage. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), the long-awaited court decision removes legal obstacles to the full implementation of the law on a timeline very close to what was planned when PPACA was signed into law in March 2010.

The following link is a chiropractic public service announcement produced by the WestHartford Group, a chiropractic think tank dedicated to the advancement of the chiropractic profession.

Are You Suffering from Back Pain?

An unusually broad collaboration of health professionals from the greater Rochester area has been selected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help lead the nation’s assault on pain.

Members of the House Armed Services Committee have approved the inclusion of a strong, pro-chiropractic directive in their official committee report accompanying the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. The committee language asserts that services provided by doctors of chiropractic (DCs) for our nation's men and women in uniform is of "high quality" and has become a "key" benefit within the military health care system. Read relevant pages from the committee report here.

Sexual misconduct can be the basis of a charge of professional misconduct. Increasingly across many health professions, including chiropractic, patients are filing complaints alleging that licensees have engaged in some form of sexual misconduct. Since the primary techniques of chiropractic care are "hands-on" requiring the practitioner to be in close proximity to the patient's body, you should be aware of and anticipate situations that could be perceived as sexual misconduct, and take measures to prevent them.

In the case of coupons, including Internet coupons, licensed professionals who advertise these discounts should be cautious. Generally speaking, discounts cannot be limited to one segment of your practice without offering the same discount to the rest of your practice. Additionally, the fee you pay for these advertising services may constitute fee splitting. The offering of improper discounts and/or the improper sharing of professional fees may subject a licensee to charges of professional misconduct.

In a competitive practice environment, violations in advertising or soliciting for patients are an increasing concern. While it is common practice for chiropractors to inform the public about the benefits of chiropractic care through media advertising and various promotional activities, you should be well informed about the appropriate use of promotional activities and materials in a professional practice. Generally, licensees must consider the manner in which information is presented to ensure it is not false, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading.

Filmmaker and NCLC guest speaker Jeff Hayes is in the process of putting the finishing touches on his latest documentary, "Medical Inc." The film examines the history surrounding the American Medical Association's conspiracy against the chiropractic profession--which ultimately led to the Wilk vs. AMA trial--and dissects the current medical monopoly  and its efforts to suppress complementary and alternative care. With more than 80 interviews conducted and first-hand accounts from people of various backgrounds and professions, this film is certain to shed new light on how important chiropractic services are to the health and well-being of the public. To see a sneak preview of the film and learn how you can play an active role in the anticipated September release of this documentary.

This week, ACA President Dr. Keith Overland was quoted in a story on FoxNews.com about the benefits of the services provided by doctors of chiropractic. The articles cites research from the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics that found that an integrated approach to health care--including chiropractic care--results in a 51.8 percent reduction in pharmaceutical costs and 43 percent fewer hospital admissions.

To view the full story click on the link below.

Arlington, Va.-- The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) today announced that Michael Simone, DC, CCSP, FICC, of Dacono, Colo. was elected Chairman of the Board of Governors (BOG). ACA is the world's largest professional association representing doctors of chiropractic.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) mourns the loss of its Chairman of the Board of Governors (BOG) Robert Mastronardi, DC, 60, who passed away yesterday following a battle with cancer.

Profession Can Now Pursue Alleged ERISA Violations   

Seneca Falls:  At New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) commencement exercises held Saturday, March 30, 2012,  Charles C. DuBois, BS, MS, president of the whole foods supplement company, Standard Process, Inc., headquartered in Palmyra, Wisconsin, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of his generous philanthropy, his business achievement and for having significantly advanced natural healthcare education, scholarship, and nutritional research - the second such degree conferred in the college’s 90 year history. 

On March 27, we received the following from Senator Schumer's legislative aide, "I apologize for the delay in response but its appropriation season so it has been hectic. I wanted you to know that we signed Senator Schumer as a cosponsor to S. 1147." On February 16th while in Washington, DC attending the ACA National Legislative Conference we visited Capitol Hill with Dr. Bazakos, Dr. Nicchi and NYCC students. We explained to Senator Schumer's legislative aide the importance of obtaining his co-sponsorship of S1147 (see below for issue). This is an exciting and positive step in gaining support for S1147.

Senator Schumer adding his name with his senior and respected status in the Senate, sends a clear message to fellow senators of the importance to support our veterans! Please feel free to send a quick thank you to his office for his co-sponsorship and the importance this bill has in helping one of our most important national treasures...our veterans!