Congress Mandates Chiropractic Impact Study in the Military The US House of Representatives passed the 2007 Defense Appropriations Act for 2007, HR 5122, containing a landmark mandate for the detailed study of the costs of making chiropractic care routinely available to all eligible active duty military personnel, as well as military dependants and retirees. The following day, the US Senate also passed the same bill, which is now public law 109-364. “This is a tremendous milestone for the chiropractic profession,” said ICA Legislative Committee Co-Chairperson Dr Michael S. McLean, “because it not only calls for a complete costing out of a full implementation for chiropractic benefits for both active duty and TRICARE beneficiaries, it calls for the measurement of offsets to medical expenses saved by the application of chiropractic services. This is the first time in the history of the US government that such a chiropractic study has been directed to address the all-important cost off-set issue.” In an equally significant and profound step, the legislation also calls for the study of the impact of chiropractic services on the combat readiness status of the US military. “This is a highly significant recognition of the potential contribution the drugless, non-surgical nature of chiropractic can make to military readiness,” said Dr McLean. “In this technological age, highly trained personnel are prohibited from assuming their duties as pilots of sometimes multi-billion dollar aircraft because they are on a painkiller or antihistamine. Likewise, even tank and radar operators are similarly restricted because of the reduced operational and functional capacity drugs can and do cause.” This is an issue that has never been discussed, let alone studied in a chiropractic context, and ICA is confident that the findings will be positive and compelling because of the drugless yet highly effective nature of chiropractic care. ICA 's Legislative Committee aggressively lobbied Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, Virginia Senator John Warner and South Dakota Senator John Thune to keep the chiropractic study mandate in the 2007 appropriations bill. “I am personally pleased that my own Senator Warner came to bat for the profession on this important issue, especially in light of the deletion of a similar provision from the 2006 appropriations act. I am proud to be Senator Warner's constituent.” Because of his unique and historic efforts as Chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, H.R. 5122 has been officially designated the “John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007” in his honor. At the present time, chiropractic services are limited to 42 sites in the United States , at which civilian contractors provide care. "I continue to be personally mindful that permanence for chiropractic in the military is best secured through commissioning of DCs,” said Dr. McLean. ICA remains firmly committed to military commissions for doctors of chiropractic in all branches of the US Armed Forces. In 1992 ICA successfully lobbied the US Congress for the passage of legislation authorizing the Secretary of Defense to commission DCs as health care officers. That authority remains intact and its implementation remains an important outstanding goal for the chiropractic profession and the highest priority for the ICA .  Contact our local chiropractor to help relieve your chronic back pain