In what is being trumpeted as a "call to action," the Coalition for Inclusion of Chiropractic in National Health Care Reform (Coalition) has asked every chiropractor and student to write their Senators, Representatives, and the president's Task Force on National Health Care Reform "urging them to make sure chiropractic receives its rightful place in any health care reform."
Palmer University Chancellor and Coalition Chairman Michael E. Crawford remarked: "The passage of sweeping health care reform legislation will be a watershed, a major turning point in this nation's history, comparable to the enactment of Social Security. If we don't call for our cards, we'll be dealt out. If we don't act now, we likely won't have a second chance."
The call to action encourages chiropractors to take the initiative rather than wait until the Health Care Task Force makes its final recommendations. The concern is that it may be too late to add chiropractic once the initial recommendations go to the legislature.
The Coalition is comprised of the 14 U.S. accredited colleges, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), the International Chiropractors Association (ICA), the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC), and several state associations. The Coalition seeks to preserve patients' rights for chiropractic care, and the inclusion of chiropractors as primary care portal-of-entry health care providers with a gatekeeper role in all health care reform legislation.
The ACA, ICA and many chiropractic colleges have mailed sample response letters to the profession. The thrust of the call for action is a campaign to organize chiropractic patients and others to join in writing.
"Your letters and those from your patients should be thoughtful and respectful, not threatening," said Chairman Crawford. The Coalition suggests the message be the simple truth that chiropractic is effective, low-cost, preventive care, and a vital part of the health care spectrum.
The Coalition encourages DCs to write as concerned citizens, not just as chiropractors. For instance, clinic letterhead could be viewed as "special interest" and thereby discounted. It is reasoned that letters from DCs, no matter how eloquent, will weigh less than those from patients helped by chiropractic. Thus the Coalition urges DCs to facilitate letters from their patients, provide them letters to sign, and pay for the postage.
The importance of chiropractic participation was summed up in a statement released by the Coalition: "Make no mistake about it. We may be fighting for our professional lives."
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.
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