Medicare must add alternate medicine ~
Chiropractic care should be on the list
by Dr. Young
This article was published in the Ventura County
Star on May 24, 2002.
It was heavily edited for space reasons. Below you will find the original,
followed by the version that the Star published.
Original - May 10, 2025
Time for More Drug-Free Chiropractic
Alternatives in Medicare
I would like you to call and/or write our Congressman, Elton Gallegly to
urge him to make sure that expanded benefits in upcoming Medicare reform
include increased access to services provided by doctors of
chiropractic. Here is why, and why now:
The leadership of the House of Representatives has instructed the two
House Committees of jurisdiction over the Medicare program (House Ways &
Means; House Energy & Commerce Committees) to produce a package of
Medicare legislative reforms that could be passed into law. The
leadership’s goal is to have the full House of Representatives vote on
some type of Medicare reform bill prior to Memorial Day (late May) if
possible. This bill is expected to address a variety of Medicare
issues, including the creation of some type of Medicare prescription
drug benefit. The best time to introduce improved access to doctors of
chiropractic is when major change is already in the works.
The prescription drug benefit will be a hot issue in upcoming Medicare
reform, and a drug benefit would be greatly appreciated by many
Americans. But as the availability of prescription drugs is expanded,
shouldn’t we, as freedom-conscious Americans, be considering the health
care needs of those Americans who prefer not to take medications due to
risks associated with taking drugs, and those who are unable to take
medications due to unacceptable “side effects”? Given that doctors of
chiropractic utilize only drugless approaches, wouldn’t it be wise at
this time to make the full scope of chiropractic services available to
our citizens covered by Medicare?
It is important that we be clear, that Americans who prefer and utilize
non-drug therapies are not just a few “health nuts”. In his 1993
landmark study on alternative medicine, published in the New England
Journal of Medicine, Harvard internist David M. Eisenberg, MD estimated
that in 1990 Americans made an estimated 425 million visits to
alternative medicine providers (e.g., doctors of chiropractic and
acupuncturists) that did not prescribe drugs. This number exceeds the
number of visits to all U.S. primary care medical doctors (388 million)
who utilize medications as their primary mode of treatment.
Currently, the only chiropractic service that Medicare covers is
manipulation of the spine. This is a hold over from the medical control
of our nation’s health care. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed to
conduct physical exams, perform physical therapy, provide nutritional
counseling, and order all manner of diagnostic evaluations including
blood work, x-ray, MRI, and ultrasound. It is reasonable and fair that
Medicare recipients be free to see their doctor of chiropractic or their
medical doctor for these services.
The chiropractic profession was founded in 1895. It’s effectiveness in
the treatment of human pain and suffering was quickly recognized. But
the medical profession (not all medical doctors) united to block access
of Americans to doctors of chiropractic. They were successful for a
while. Over time, and with much effort, federal health care legislation
resulted in Medicare adding a single chiropractic benefit in 1972. On
October 30, 2000, President Bill Clinton signed into law historic
legislation mandating that chiropractic care be made available to all
active duty personnel in the United States armed forces. On January
23rd, 2002 President George Bush signed legislation mandating the
establishment of a permanent chiropractic for veterans of our armed
services. It is now time to make full-scope chiropractic care available
to our Medicare recipients.
Let’s talk money! The results of a recent study of the government’s own
Medicare cost data by the prestigious firm Muse & Company demonstrates
conclusively that Medicare beneficiaries that receive chiropractic care
have significantly less Medicare expenditures (per capita) than do
beneficiaries that do not receive chiropractic care. Clearly, from a
purely cost standpoint alone, it makes sense to encourage expanded
access to chiropractic care in the Medicare program.
Congress can correct this unfair situation by incorporating House
Resolution (H.R.) 902 (Watkins Bill) into any Medicare reform bill they
vote on this year. Help make more drug-free options available to
Medicare recipients by writing and/or calling Congressman, Elton
Gallegly and asking that he support H.R. 902.
The Honorable Elton Gallegly
300 E. Esplanade Drive, Suite 1800
Oxnard, CA 93030-1262
Phone: (805) 485-2300 Fax: (805) 983-3922
Sincerely,
Kristofer Young, DC
Version edited by the Star
Medicare must add alternate medicine ~
Chiropractic care should be on the list
By Kristofer Young
May 24, 2025
I would like readers to urge Rep. Elton Gallegly to make sure that
expanded benefits in Medicare reform include increased access to
services provided by doctors of chiropractic.
The leadership of the House of Representatives has instructed the
House Ways and Means and House Energy and Commerce
committees to produce a package of Medicare legislative reforms.
The prescription drug benefit will be a hot issue in Medicare
reform, but as the availability of prescription drugs is expanded,
shouldn't we be considering the health-care needs of those who
prefer not to take medications because of risks or side effects?
Given that doctors of chiropractic use only drugless approaches,
wouldn't it be wise to make the full scope of chiropractic services
available to our citizens covered by Medicare?
In his 1993 landmark study on alternative medicine, published in
the New England Journal of Medicine, Harvard internist David M.
Eisenberg, M.D., estimated that in 1990 Americans made an
estimated 425 million visits to alternative-medicine providers (e.g.,
doctors of chiropractic and acupuncturists) who did not prescribe
drugs.
This number exceeds the number of visits to all U.S. primary-care
medical doctors (388 million) who use medications as their primary
mode of treatment.
Currently, the only chiropractic service that Medicare covers is
manipulation of the spine. This is a holdover from the medical
control of our nation's health care.
Doctors of chiropractic are licensed to conduct physical exams,
perform physical therapy, provide nutritional counseling and order
all manner of diagnostic evaluations, including blood work, X-ray,
MRI and ultrasound.
It is reasonable and fair that Medicare recipients be free to see
their doctor of chiropractic or their medical doctor for these
services.
On Oct. 30, 2000, President Clinton signed into law historic
legislation mandating that chiropractic care be made available to
all active-duty personnel in the armed forces. On Jan. 23 of this
year, President Bush signed legislation mandating the
establishment of chiropractic care for veterans of our armed
services.
It is now time to make full-scope chiropractic care available to our
Medicare recipients.
Let's talk money! The results of a recent study of the
government's own Medicare cost data demonstrate conclusively
that Medicare beneficiaries who receive chiropractic care have
significantly fewer Medicare expenditures (per capita) than do
beneficiaries who do not receive chiropractic care.
Congress can incorporate House Resolution 902 (Watkins Bill) into
any Medicare reform bill it votes on this year. Help make more
drug-free options available to Medicare recipients by writing
and/or calling Rep. Gallegly and asking that he support HR902.
-- Kristofer Young of Ventura is a doctor of chiropractic.
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