FOR RELEASE: June 13, 2001

Evans Convenes VA-Chiropractic Care Summit on Hill 

Washington, DC - Lane Evans (IL), Democratic leader of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today convened a meeting attended by major chiropractic organizations, officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other members of Congress.  Evans had asked the participants to come prepared to discuss options for making chiropractic services more widely available to veterans using the VA health care system.  

Congress required VA to develop a policy on chiropractic treatment in the Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act of 1999.  The bill was enacted in November 1999, but the Department’s progress in identifying the appropriate policy for the large health care system has been slow.  Evans was also concerned that chiropractors had not been consulted in the development of a policy on chiropractic care, as the law requires.  

“We should view this meeting as a fresh starting point”, said Evans, “Congress expected VA to seek the guidance of mainstream chiropractic medicine and discuss reasonable means of making chiropractic services available to veterans.  From now on, I want VA and the chiropractic representatives to meet in good faith to develop a mutually agreeable proposal.”     

Three of the largest groups representing chiropractic medicine: the International Chiropractic Association, the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, and the American Chiropractic Association attended the meeting.  Evans was joined by Congressmen Bob Filner (D-CA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Steve Buyer (R-IN).  VA was represented by the Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Frances Murphy, MD, and members of her staff. 

There are 50,000 chiropractors in active practice in the United States, and 10,000 more in training.  The widespread practice of chiropractic medicine began around the turn of the century and has steadily gained acceptance since that time, by the public, private insurers, and publicly funded health care agencies; such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Department of Defense.  VA does not employ chiropractors and it rarely has referred veterans to chiropractors working in the community. 

Evans elicited several promises from VA and from the chiropractors.  Murphy referenced a new policy the agency was developing on chiropractic care that was still under review.  She agreed to Evans’ proposal to make the policy available for the chiropractic agencies’ review and to ensure that VA and the chiropractors meet again to discuss the groups’ response to the proposed policy.  Evans also asked the groups to continue to meet and report back to him on a detailed plan for implementing chiropractic care by Labor Day.  VA’s leadership also agreed to this proposal. 

Evans concluded the meeting by stating, “I expect VA and chiropractors to work in good faith so that Congress is not forced to impose a solution that may not suit anyone’s agenda.  Keep this in mind as you work together over the summer.” 

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