House, Senate Reintroduce Bill to Increase Medicare Coverage of Chiropractic Services

by Mark Zuleger-Thyss June 28, 2023

PROFESSIONAL SERIES | Garden of Healing | Chiropractic

House, Senate Reintroduce Bill to Increase Medicare Coverage of Chiropractic Services

Source: Chiropractic Economics Magazine, March 15, 2023

Editing by M. Zuleger-Thyss

The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate reintroduced legislation to increase access to Medicare-covered services provided by doctors of chiropractic. The Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act (H.R. 1610 / S. 799) would align Medicare’s coverage of Chiropractic with most other federal programs and private health plans, giving seniors improved coverage of non-drug treatments to alleviate pain and improve function.

Reps introduced the legislation. Gregory Steube (R-Fla.), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Mark Alford (R-Mo.) and John Larson (D-Conn.) in the House, and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) in the Senate. Both bills were introduced with several bipartisan original cosponsors. An identical bill that expired last year in Congress achieved more than 150 cosponsors in the House, split almost evenly between Democrats and Republications, and six cosponsors in the Senate.

“The level of bipartisan support we achieved with the last bill tells us that this is an issue that resonates and has the momentum to go all the way,” noted John Falardeau, ACA senior vice president of public policy and advocacy. “We thank Sens. Blumenthal and Cramer and Reps. Steube, Higgins, Alford, and Larson for their leadership in reintroducing this important legislation, which will benefit America’s seniors.”

“Giving Medicare beneficiaries more options for non-drug services to treat common musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain is critical in ongoing efforts to reduce opioid overuse,” noted ACA President Michael Martin, DC. “Chiropractic care is a part of the solution for many patients who seek to avoid or reduce their reliance on prescription pain medications.”

H.R. 1610/S. 799 would update the Medicare statute that has limited beneficiary access to chiropractic services for over 50 years. The legislation adds no new benefits; it simply allows Medicare beneficiaries access to the profession’s broad-based, non-drug approach to pain management and musculoskeletal health. This includes manual manipulation of the spine (the only chiropractic service now covered), including manual manipulation of the extremities and numerous other non-drug treatments, evaluation and management services, and diagnostic imaging. A chiropractor’s state licensure would determine the services available to beneficiaries.

Chiropractic services and other nonpharmacologic approaches to pain management have become essential to national efforts to reduce the overuse and abuse of prescription opioid pain medications. The opioid crisis has taken its toll on seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries as it has in communities nationwide.

Dennis Marchiori, D.C., Ph.D., chancellor and CEO of Palmer College, kicked off Homecoming with the annual State of the College address.

“We know chiropractic is in growth mode, and with Palmer’s own growth, we’re setting the pace for the profession. As we come together to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Palmer College, we celebrate our inspirational and proud heritage that’s leading us to a daring and driven future."