[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 46 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 46

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding chiropractic health care 
                               benefits.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2001

 Mr. Manzullo submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding chiropractic health care 
                               benefits.

Whereas chiropractic is a major health discipline which originated in the United 
        States, the development of which was begun by Dr. D.D. Palmer and his 
        son Dr. B.J. Palmer on September 18, 1895;
Whereas chiropractic is the third largest doctoral level health care profession, 
        behind medicine and dentistry;
Whereas approximately 28,000,000 Americans visit a doctor of chiropractic every 
        year;
Whereas research has demonstrated chiropractic care to be safe and effective;
Whereas, while many State licensing boards authorize the practice of spinal 
        manipulation by physicians and other providers, doctors of chiropractic 
        are the only providers educated and trained specifically to perform 
        chiropractic adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations;
Whereas chiropractic is recognized as an integral part of the American health 
        care system through most managed health care and insurance programs;
Whereas in 1991 an estimated 85 percent of employers with health coverage plans 
        provided chiropractic coverage, and by 1996 43 States required health 
        plans to provide some form of chiropractic coverage;
Whereas in 1972 Congress included doctors of chiropractic in the definition of 
        physician under medicare, permitting them to provide beneficiaries with 
        chiropractic care; and
Whereas, under traditional fee-for-service medicare, beneficiaries are given 
        direct access to doctors of chiropractic: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that the Federal Government should 
make the benefits of chiropractic care available as a covered benefit 
in any Federal employees health plan, consistent with the following 
basic principles:
            (1) Chiropractic care includes diagnosis, correction, and 
        management of either vertebral subluxations or 
        neuromusculoskeletal conditions performed by a licensed doctor 
        of chiropractic, and should not include the use of drugs or 
        surgery.
            (2) Doctors of chiropractic are the only providers educated 
        and trained to perform chiropractic adjustments to correct 
        vertebral subluxations, and as such, chiropractic adjustments 
        should be provided only by a licensed doctor of chiropractic.
            (3) The scope of chiropractic practice should be based on 
        State law.
            (4) Like beneficiaries under medicare, Federal employees 
        should have direct access to chiropractic care without the 
        requirement of a referral.
            (5) Participation in any Federal employees health plan 
        should be open to any licensed doctor of chiropractic who 
        wishes to participate.
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