FW: ACA HOD: Message from President Mc about Recent Actions by UHC

[Guest guest]

Dear Colleagues,

The “Devil is always in

the Details”  the ACA is watching out for you on the federal level as per

the “Non-Discrimination Provision”  Section 2706 (Harkin Amendment)

which the ACA pushed hard for….it is now the regulatory language we have

to watch out for as this is where our enemies will attempt to nullify this landmark

provision.  Yes, it is more likely than not this proposed universal healthcare

system will not be all warm and fuzzy once it begins, if it ever begins, and we

need look no further than Medicare and Medicaid to have a idea of how wonderful

such a system will be.  However with that said it’s just possible it

could be the level playing field we have always wanted for our patients.  It

was critical that the ACA was at the dinner table with the other stakeholders

in helping to formulate policy as this bill moved along because if you’re

not at the dinner table you will be likely on the menu.  The ACA was absolutely

at the table for you if you aren’t a member of your national association

the ACA please join the profession needs your support on the federal level….

Vern Saboe DC

ACA Delegate for Oregon

Lobbyist, Oregon Chiropractic Association

From: Bill O'Connell

[mailto:boconnell@...]

Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 4:03 PM

Bill O'Connell

Cc: ACA BOG; EVP and VPs (Internal); Tom Daly (OFP)

Subject: ACA HOD: Message from President Mc about Recent Actions

by UHC

Dear

ACA House of Delegate Members:

You

recently received information about on United Healthcare and another flawed

policy proffered by this carrier. Like you and our members, we are not at

all happy with this UHC policy. This unfortunate policy regarding its

definitions of “essential, mixed, and non essential benefits” is

just another attempt to jockey around impending non-discrimination mandates. We

are developing an appropriate response along with our Chiropractic Summit

partners so our message is unified and our actions are focused and effective.

We will share the response with you once it is available.

As

you know, health insurers and the AMA have in the past sought to segregate and

then eliminate chiropractic services (e.g., the Wilk case). This sort of

behavior was a moving factor in the development and passage of state insurance

equality / nondiscrimination statutes. The Harkin non-discrimination language

(Section 2706 of PPACA) was designed to offer patients and providers similar

protection, but on a federal level and with an expansive reach that will

include self-insured plans.

UHC

never envisioned or expected this law to pass with such protections intact.

This recently communicated policy is an attempt to, once again, segregate

and eliminate " chiropractic services " by listing

such services as " non-essential. " We see this for

what it is- a page from the old play book, only this time it

will potentially violate existing state law, and will certainly violate

the recent “Harkin language.” It appears UHC is

attempting to use the categorization of our services as

“non-essential” in hope of “grandfathering” this

limitation to 2014 and beyond.

UHC’s

action underscores the need for our continued focus on the regulations that

will implement the health care reform legislation. As the Chiropractic

Summit’s leaders have maintained all along, the critical opportunity for

this profession to leverage the health care reform law to its favor will come

in the regulations that determine “essential services,” as well as

the specific provisions for: insurance exchanges, grandfathering of existing

plan arrangements, primary care, and wellness/prevention services. Our team of

government relations professionals, in conjunction with your leadership, will

work with HHS as it proceeds to draft, and issue for comment, regulations that

will ultimately define “essential benefits.”

UHC’s

action is also of concern to us because it categorizes

“chiropractic” as a treatment versus a profession with

multiple diagnostic and treatment options available for patient

care. We do not see this approach taken with any other provider

type. Given that DC’s provide examinations, rehabilitative care,

manipulative services, wellness and preventive services etc., all of these

services should be accessible from doctors of chiropractic. With this

perspective, the conservative, cost-effective services we offer should receive

a more positive reception (e.g., a new study report, now in press at the Journal

of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, reports low back pain care

initiated with a DC is 40% less costly than care initiated through a medical

doctor); so, insurance companies should begin to understand that to restrict access

to a DC’s care may, inadvertently, increase their cost of care).

Containing costs, while providing quality health care to as many Americans as

possible, is of critical importance to us all. As health care reform is

implemented, we must fully employ the expertise of all leaders in the

chiropractic profession to help our nation accomplish these objectives.

Rest assured ACA and our Chiropractic Summit partners, including ACA, ACC and

ICA GR experts...working with Dick Gephardt and his team... are working daily

to effectively advance the chiropractic profession. There is no

individual doctor, exec or association that knows better how to proceed to

ensure the best results. To win we must move together, following the national

leadership and their agreed plan of action. Most of our associations

across the country are doing just this!

Help

us spread the word in your states and specialty councils...to stay the

course -

ü Watch

for action alerts from ACA and the Chiropractic Summit, taking definitive and timely

action as requested; we especially appreciate your state and councils’

continued donations to CHAMP so we can afford to tell your story on the

Hill;

ü Share

with us your successes locally; we appreciate receiving your reports as to

actions taken and will share them among our members across the country.

Thank you for all your efforts to advance our great profession. We can

do this together!

All the Best,

Rick

Rick

Mc, DC

ACA President

Bill O'Connell

Executive Vice President | American

Chiropractic Association

T: (703) 812-0216 | F: (703)

243-2593 | 1701 Clarendon Blvd. Arlington, VA 22209

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