08/30/2021
September a Critical Month for Medicare Full Inclusion!
Contact Your Congressperson TODAY About H.R. 2654!
Email Your Member of Congress TODAY
Patient Handout w/Talking Points
Patient Half-Page Handout
Last Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a budget resolution paving the way for a $3.5 trillion domestic spending and tax bill later this year. The vote clears the way for the reconciliation process, eliminating the possible use of the filibuster to stop the bill in the U.S. Senate.
This is a critical time for H.R. 2654, the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act.
Congressional Democrats have identified some health care priorities to include in the $3.5 trillion bill, including significant changes to Medicare, such as adding dental, vision, and hearing. It is hoped that the language in H.R. 2654 can be added to these priorities during “markup,” the process whereby a U.S. congressional committee debates, amends, and rewrites proposed legislation.
With this in mind, it is critical that you – and your patients, staff, family, and friends – contact your congressperson ASAP! The more co-sponsors we have, the greater our likelihood of success!
As of today, only three Michigan members of Congress – Rep. Bill Huizenga of Zeeland, Rep. John Moolenaar of Midland, and Rep. Andy Levin of Bloomfield Township – have signed on as co-sponsors of H.R. 2654. That means Michigan still has 11 members that need to be convinced of the need for this critical legislation
Moving Forward
Markup for the Ways and Means Committee and Energy Commerce Committee, the two committees to which H.R. 2654 have been assigned, will take place in the next two weeks, as the budget resolution sets a September 15th deadline for the congressional committees to have their legislation ready for the Budget Committee, which will draft the final reconciliation bill package.
Getting Patients Involved
A number of congressional offices across the state and nation have stressed the importance of hearing from their constituents on this important legislation. The chiropractic profession alone cannot get this done – we need a national grassroots effort that includes chiropractic patients and other supporters to turn the tide.
It’s all hands on deck, and this ongoing reconciliation process is our best opportunity to make full chiropractic inclusion in Medicare a reality.
Patient Handouts Available!
The MAC has created two patient handouts on H.R. 2654, each containing a QR code that links to our Legislative Action Center, where patients and other supporters can quickly and easily contact Congressman Kildee. Every adult chiropractic supporter with a smart phone can access this resource – right from your waiting room! Just download either the half- or full-page patient handout, make copies, distribute to your adult patients (not just seniors, because this will affect everyone who eventually enrolls in Medicare), and encourage them to contact their member of Congress while at your clinic. It’s fast, easy, and will make a huge difference!
Send an Email TODAY!
While getting your patients involved is key, YOU need to let your congressperson know how Medicare’s nearly 50-year prohibition against all chiropractic services except manual manipulation of the spine to correct subluxation works against the best interests of both Medicare patients and the health care system at large. As more and more seniors are steered toward expensive, invasive medical management of the conditions we as chiropractors treat, including addictive opioids and often unsuccessful surgeries, chiropractic care must be part of the solution to both the opioid crisis and skyrocketing health care costs.
Forcing America’s chiropractors to practice with one hand tied behind our backs is doing a grave disservice to Medicare beneficiaries. Congress can change this, but they need to know there’s a problem and that the language in H.R. 2654 is the way to fix that problem.