"E-FACTS" REPORT FROM D.D. Humber, DC, FICA, President

THE UNITED STATES SENATE VOTED DOWN TWO COMPETING MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT PLANS ON TUESDAY, with Democrats and Republicans opposing each other's approaches to this highly controversial and massively expensive benefit.  Chiropractic's stake in this politically charged debate is the possibility of expanding chiropractic services in the Medicare program, in recognition of the needs of those Medicare beneficiaries that cannot or choose not to take advantage of any new drug benefit.  ICA is in close touch with key members of the Senate Finance Committee and the Washington staff is exploring every possibility to enhance the status of chiropractic in Medicare.  Most participants think the chances for any drug benefit passing are growing increasingly slim because of partisan bickering.  Many feel, however, that this standoff is probably the best course because the fact is that the nation simply cannot afford such a massive new spending program.  The next few days are likely to be critical and ICA is closely following every aspect of this debate.  Senators John Ensign and Chuck Hagel were able to muster 51 votes for their plan on July 24th, but fell far short of the 60 votes need for passage. ICA CONTINUES TO WORK TO SECURE PASSAGE OF H.R. 2284, LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE SIGNIFICANT NEW ADDITIONS TO CHIROPRACTIC COVERAGE IN THE MEDICARE PROGRAM AND WRITE INTO STONE THE PROVISION THAT ONLY DCs ARE AUTHORIZED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR CORRECTING SUBLUXATIONS UNDER THE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PROGRAMS.  For more information, including the text of the bill and model letters to Congress, on this key initiative, go to ICA's website at www.chiropractic.org.

ICA CELEBRITY SPOKESPERSON AND FITNESS COUNCIL INSTRUCTOR DENISE PAGLIA IS FEATURED ON THE COVER OF THE JULY EDITION OF MUSCLE & FITNESS MAGAZINE, the world's second largest monthly periodical.  Ms. Paglia is one of the world's most accomplished exercise and fitness celebrities, well known through her television appearances on ESPN's Fitness Beach, Cyberfit and Bodyshaping.  Her presentations have been seen daily in over fifty countries for several years.  Ms. Paglia is a devoted chiropractic patient and advocate and has been most outspoken about the role chiropractic can and should play in everyone's health and fitness program.  Ms. Paglia is also featured in a major piece in the June Muscle & Fitness in which she talks about her weekly program of chiropractic care.  ICA is proud of Ms. Paglia and her devotion to natural fitness, a healthy lifestyle that includes regular chiropractic care and her efforts to share her experience and her example with the world.  We at the ICA are grateful for her advocacy of a healthy lifestyle, drug-free training and the power of chiropractic.

ICA CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WORLD OF CHIROPRACTIC IN THE STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR CHILDREN AND WILL PROUDLY HOST THE 12^th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHIROPRACTIC AND PEDIATRICS, NOVEMBER 22-24th, IN NEW ORLEANS.   The ICA Pediatrics Council continues to raise the bar on chiropractic continuing education with its superior pediatric conferences year after year.  The ICA's 12^th Annual Pediatrics Conference will be held at the Wyndham Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana.  A slate of 12 excellent speakers, all of them experienced practitioners and many of them Diplomates in Chiropractic Pediatrics (of which there are only 100 in the US and Canada) will inform and educate on topics ranging from scoliosis to developmental milestones, vaccinations, pregnancy, working with other health care professionals, protocols of care, how to write/publish/get involved in pediatric research, etc. There will be interactive case discussions, presentation of case studies from the field and three different adjustive/technique workshops.  Altogether there are 14 different sessions, three workshops and six research papers. The conference is co-sponsored by Palmer College of Chiropractic and 21 hours of license renewal credits have been applied for. Registrations are already coming in so call the ICA Pediatrics Council today and get registered immediately.  This is one conference you do not want to miss.  Call ICA at 1-800-423-4690 or 703-528-5000.

FROM THE WISCONSIN CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATION, JULY 19, 2002:  "The WCA filed a lawsuit against the Chiropractic Examining Board over the board's failure to properly enforce the ethics laws of the state.  The ethics laws prohibit a member of the examining board from using their position on the board to benefit an organization of which they are a member.  Specifically, the Examining Board has approved continuing education programs that benefit Allied Health of Wisconsin even though the chairman of the Examining Board is a member of Allied.  The lawsuit asks that the Examining Board properly enforce the ethics rule and that CE hours not be allowed for CE programs that have been improperly approved. 

Hand-in-hand is the issue of whether the Examining Board has the authority to allow programs in which private organizations perform the duties that are required of a "program sponsor."  The programs at issue are four CE programs being offered by Northwestern College of Chiropractic and "co-sponsored" by Allied Health.  Wisconsin law only allows the WCA, the ACA, the ICA, chiropractic and medical colleges to be continuing education sponsors.  We sincerely regret having to file this lawsuit, especially since it indirectly involves our members who belong to Allied Health.  However, this action is necessary because we believe the Examining Board is ignoring its responsibility to act in a professional and ethical manner. 

When the laws for continuing education were written, the state limited the sponsorship of CE programs to those organizations that were responsible for the long-term interests of the profession.  Medical colleges were also included as program sponsors because of the potential for inter-disciplinary clinical programs.  It is very unfortunate, but many chiropractic colleges are not following the intent of the law.  They abdicate their long term responsibilities to the profession by selling or trading their sponsorship name to anyone that asks-literally anyone.  While this lawsuit does not directly address the problem, the WCA will seek changes in the law to prohibit this conduct from continuing.  The WCA takes its responsibilities to the profession very seriously.  We go well beyond the CE rules by only hiring instructors that are on the postgraduate faculty of a chiropractic college to teach advanced clinical topics.  In addition, the WCA never delegates any of its core sponsorship responsibilities and maintains a continuing education database for all Wisconsin chiropractors to insure that DCs can efficiently verify their attendance at a properly approved CE program when audited by state.   We are very disappointed that the Examining Board has failed to protect the integrity of chiropractic education by ignoring the ethics laws.  For the past 18 months the WCA has attempted to work with the legal counsel for the Examining Board to resolve this problem; but, the board has failed to act.  It is with regret that we must ask the courts to intervene.  We will keep you posted on the progress of our suit.  Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call."  FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE WCA AT 608-256-7023.

HOSPITAL INFECTIONS ARE REPORTED TO KILL 100,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY AND INFECT UP TO 2,000,000 IN THE US ALONE.  The national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an alarming report last week that should have every consumer up in arms, demanding massive changes and looking for safe alternatives, like chiropractic.  To add to the scandal, CDC reports that nearly 75 percent of deaths from this shocking cause were preventable.  In Great Britain, according to the BBC, such preventable infections cost one billion British pounds (approximately $1.55 billion US) annually, and afflict one in ten hospital patients in that nation.  This problem is well known in public policy and public health circles, yet has received little attention, especially in contrast to the massive death rate.  In 1998, CDC issued a grant of $272,000 to the Johns Hopkins Hospital's office of Infection Control and Epidemiology to conduct a three-year study of the problem, but both the study and the results have been kept very quiet.  Hospitals and public health officials always point to the financial costs of implementing stricter procedures and more efficient facilities.  Hospitals are not required to keep records or report on such infection rates, and doctors seldom ever inform patients of these potential risks.  MEDICINE MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND THE PUBLIC MUST BE PROTECTED. ICA URGES ALL CONCERNED OVER THIS HORRIFIC SITUATION TO MAKE YOUR CONCERNS KNOWN TO YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL, AND DEMAND ACTION NOW! 

DATES TO REMEMBER:  "Chiropractic, Pediatrics and Pregnancy", with Pediatrics Diplomate Dr. Lora Tanis, September 7-8, Cleveland, Ohio; 12^th Annual Conference on Chiropractic Pediatrics, New Orleans, LA, November 22-24, 2002; Certification in Chiropractic Spinal Trauma (CCST) program kickoff, January 18-19, 2003, with Dr. Dan Murphy, Las Vegas, Nevada.

------------------------------------
For More Information, Contact the International Chiropractors Association, a Worldwide Community of the Most Successful Chiropractors on Earth at chiro@chiropractic.org or visit the ICA website at www.chiropractic.org.

* International Chiropractors Association Mailing List *
1110 North Glebe Rd.
Arlington, VA 22201
800/423-4690