"E-FACTS"  REPORT  FROM  THE  ICA  PRESIDENT

The new year is now well underway and the ICA is aggressively focusing on its top priorities for 2002, chief of which is passage of H.R. 2284, ICA's Medicare reform legislation introduced by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) at ICA's request to address the major problems facing chiropractic in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, as well as to provide for a major expansion of chiropractic services under those massive federal programs.  The urgent need to strengthen chiropractic's status in these programs can only permanently be achieved through legislation.  KEY AMONG THIS BILL'S PROVISIONS IS A MEASURE THAT WOULD ESTABLISH IN STATUTE THAT ONLY DOCTORS OF CHIROPRACTIC ARE AUTHORIZED TO CORECT SUBLUXATIONS IN MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.  No other bill now before Congress will achieve this goal. The Congress will re-convene on January 23^rd and ICA's legislative team will be there in strength aggressively lobbying for this vital measure.  YOUR PERSONAL PARTICIPATION IS URGENTLY NEEDED TO PASS THIS LANDMARK BILL.  Model letters and additional background information, including the full text of the bill, are available on ICA's website at www.chiropractic.org.

The political climate we expect to see in the new congressional session will be characterized by the new realities of vanished budget surpluses and the recession the United States is now facing.  In this environment, ICA will be working to help legislators understand the cost-effective nature of chiropractic care and the tremendous contribution chiropractic can make in helping hold health care costs down.  Recent government reports have shown that HEALTH CARE COSTS CONTINUE TO SKYROCKET, GROWING MUCH FASTER THAN THE GENERAL COST OF LIVING, REACHING $1.3 TRILLION IN 2001.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a report published on January 8^th, health care spending rose 6.9 percent, averaging $4,637 per person.  Leading this price surge was a 17.3 percent increase in spending on prescription drugs, the sixth straight year of double-digit growth.  Of this massive total, chiropractic represents a very small portion and yields enormous impact per dollar spent.  SEE WHAT MEDICARE SPENDS YOUR TAX DOLLARS ON BY GOING TO http://www.hcfa/stats/BETOS/betos00.htm. According to this source, Medicare spent only $314,741,724 on chiropractic in 2000, up from $277,282,856 in 1999.  Year 2001 data will not be available for some time.

ICA AND FACTS' ROME 2002 SYMPOSIUM IS JUST A FEW MONTHS AWAY AND I HOPE YOU ARE MAKING YOUR PLANS TO BE AT THIS HISTORIC WORLD CHIROPRACTIC GATHERING.  Full details are available on ICA's website or by calling ICA at 1-800-423-4690.  DCs AND STUDENTS FROM 18 COUNTRIES HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR ROME!   I am very excited about a project our STUDENT ICA CHAPTER AT PALMER COLLEGE has undertaken to help get chiropractic students to Rome.  They have organized a raffle, tickets for which are $20, and the winning student receives a Rome registration, plus expenses.  THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR DCs IN THE FIELD TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENT ICA AND TO HELP SPONSOR A STUDENT TO ROME.   I WOULD INVITE YOU TO CALL ICA TODAY AT 1-800-423-4690 AND MAKE A $20 DONATION TO THE SICA BY CREDIT CARD to support this great project.  You can sponsor a specific student or you can simply add your support to the Palmer SICA Chapter.  Our fine student leaders deserve our support and I know our student community will greatly appreciate your acknowledgement and generosity.  CALL ICA TODAY AND LEND YOUR SUPPORT TO THIS SICA PROJECT.

ICA'S MEDIA WATCH HAS PICKED UP AN INTERESTING ISSUE REGARDING THE UPCOMING EPISODE OF FOX TV'S "ALLY  MCBEAL."  On last Monday night's episode, the preview of the next show included a statement from one of the characters that "chiropractors are quacks."  No context or indication of where this was going was given and ICA's contacts with Fox Media have not yielded any indication if the depiction of chiropractors and chiropractic that one might anticipate from this preview will, in the end, be a positive or negative one.  ICA has expressed concern to FOX executives and we invite all in chiropractic to follow up on this matter if, as has so often happened in the past, this situation does turn out to be derogatory to chiropractic.   YOU CAN CONTACT FOX BY WRITING:  Fox Broadcasting Company, P.O. Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213, or contact the show directly via the Internet at allymcbeal.com.  Chiropractic needs to speak with a resounding voice if, as has happened so often in the past, the producers use this show to diminish or demean our great profession in any manner.

ICA IS ALSO INVESTIGATING A STATEMENT MADE ON "Good Morning America" THIS MORNING BY A WOMAN CLAIMING TO HAVE BEEN INSTANTLY PARALYZED BY A CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT.  This statement was made in the context of a legal commentary on the tragic case of the so-called "hockey dad" homicide case now very much in the news.  The nature of the claim is highly suspect and ICA is aggressively looking into this situation, and will take all steps necessary to correct or clarify any false or misleading information presented in this broadcast.

ICA's Student Chapters around the nation are active again this year in a major fundraising effort for Oklahaven Children's Chiropractic Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  This important institution has served the chiropractic needs of children from around the world for many years and needs the support of the profession.  ICA IS VERY PROUD OF OUR SICA CHAPTERS AND LEADERS AS THEY WORK TO MAKE THIS YEAR'S EFFORT A BIG SUCCESS.  You can help too by having a "HAVE A HEART 2002 CAMPAIGN" in your office during the week of Valentine's Day, February 12-17^th.  Please contact Oklahaven by mail at 4500 North Meridian, Oklahoma City, OK 73112, or by e-mail at oklahaven@flash.net.  ICA members have always distinguished themselves and our organization by a special commitment to service to the community. This is another chance to put our ICA values to work in a very meaningful way.

DATES TO REMEMBER:  ICA's 10^th Annual Symposium on Natural Fitness With ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, February 23-24, 2002, Columbus, Ohio.     ICA's Council on Applied Chiropractic Sciences Conference, in conjunction with the ICA of California Annual Convention, February 22-24, 2002, Costa Mesa, California.  The Second International Symposium on Chiropractic, April 5-7, 2002, Rome, Italy. ICA's 2002 Annual Board of Directors and Representative Assembly Meetings, May 17-19, 2002, Reston, Virginia.

SHOP FOR ICA'S PRODUCTS ON LINE!  I am pleased to announce that ICA has launched a comprehensive e-commerce web store through which ICA's vast range of quality products and publications can be purchased.  See the main page of the ICA website at www.chiropractic.org.

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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.

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