Welcome to the Council on Chiropractic Orthopedics (CCO) information website

The CCO board has worked together to bring you this informative Chiropractic Orthopedic website. Hopefully you will find information that will keep you on top of the many challenges facing our specialty

News & Announcements

American College of Chiropractic Orthopedists

American College of Chiropractic Orthopedists 2023 Annual Convention

American College of Chiropractic Orthopedists
2023 Annual Convention
April 27-29, 2023 (20 Hrs.)

Thursday Conference will start with registration at 3:00 PM with conference from 4–8 PM followed by one hour reception from 8–9 PM.

Learn More about Event
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President's Letter

Date: 07/19/22

Read Here
A chiropractor pointing at lumbar vertebra model

Contact Your Senator!

Senate Medicare Bill Imminent
Immediate Action Required

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) are about to introduce a companion bill to H.R. 2654, the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act. A Senate companion, identical to the House version, is a vital step in passing this legislation and creating better access to Medicare-covered services allowed under a chiropractor’s state licensure.

→ Shared Message Link ←

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

Call your senators and urge them to become original cosponsors to the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act, soon to be introduced by senators Blumenthal and Cramer.

Find your senators and their phone numbers here:
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American College of Chiropractic Orthopedists 2022 Annual Convention

Friday, April 22, 2022 4:00 pm – 8 pm: Rob McKnight, DC, FIANM (4 hrs)

Friday, April 22, 2022, 8 pm – 9 pm: Welcome reception

Saturday, April 23, 2022, 8 – 12 noon and 1 pm – 5 pm: Brandon Steele, DC, FIANM (8 hours)

12 CE credits.

For currently Board Certified Chiropractic Orthopedists, all credit hours are approved for recertification through the International Academy of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine.

Cancellation fee of $35 before February 15, 2022. $100 Cancellation fee after February 15th. No refund if registration is cancelled after April 1st.

Visit Website
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Save the Date

ACA Virtual Day on the Hill Thursday, Feb 24 2022

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA), the profession’s premier voice on Capitol Hill, will host a virtual advocacy day on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. A virtual welcome program and informational briefings will be held the evenings of Feb. 22 and 23. Congressional meetings will be scheduled throughout the day on Thursday, Feb. 24, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET.

Participation in the ACA Virtual Day on the Hill is open to all ACA members. An announcement on how to register for this event will go out the week of Dec. 13.

ACA will again partner with Advocacy Associates to provide a seamless virtual event featuring a web-based meeting platform that will be a one-stop location for all virtual meetings. Attendees will be provided with a secure link and will have the ability to communicate with one another and share meeting details, schedules, notes, informational materials and more.

Begin planning now. "See” you on the Hill in February!

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ACA Celebrates 100th Cosponsor on Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act

This week, Reps. Gregory Steube (R-Fla.), Brian Mast (R-Fla.) and Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) joined their colleagues in supporting H.R. 2654, the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act, bringing the total number of cosponsors of the bill to 100. Introduced in April by Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) with 16 original cosponsors, the measure would allow beneficiary access to the full scope of current Medicare services allowed under a chiropractor’s state licensure.

“For nearly 50 years, beneficiaries have been denied full access to Medicare covered services in a chiropractic clinic,” said Dr. Michele Maiers, ACA president. “The current statute is antiquated and needs to be changed. I thank Congressman Higgins and the 100 cosponsors who support Medicare patients and who have supported this legislation.”

The chiropractic benefit in Medicare dates back to 1972 and only covers “manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation.” H.R. 2654 would allow Medicare beneficiaries access to the chiropractic profession’s broad-based, non-drug approach to pain management, which includes manual manipulation of the spine and extremities, evaluation and management services, diagnostic imaging and utilization of other non-drug approaches that have become an important strategy in national efforts to stem the epidemic of prescription opioid overuse and abuse.

“The more cosponsors we have, the greater the likelihood of our success,” noted ACA Legislative Committee Chair Dr. Keith Overland. “I want to thank all the dedicated ACA volunteers, as well as the numerous chiropractic state associations, organizations and individual supporters from all 50 states, who have answered the bell and helped move this vital piece of legislation. But our work is not done; we need the profession to continue to garner additional cosponsors and support.”

H.R. 2654 was referred to two House committees, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce. A Senate companion bill has not yet been introduced; however, work is underway to secure introduction in that chamber.

List of H.R. 2654 cosponsors
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ACA’s Annual Conference: Engage 2022

I hope all is well. We would greatly appreciate it if you could promote ACA’s annual conference: Engage 2022. The conference will take place in Washington, D.C., between Feb. 2-5, 2022.

We are hoping for your assistance in promoting the conference by including it in any of your communication channels (newsletter, website, social handles, etc.). I have attached language and graphics to make it easier. If you need additional graphics and/or promotional text, let me know and we will gladly provide that information.

If it’s not too much trouble, please inform me when you promote our event as we’re working on tracking all marketing efforts for Engage 2022.

10/20/2021

ACA Engage 2022
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Chiropractic Student Scholarship

The American Chiropractic Association’s Council on Chiropractic Orthopedics (CCO) is excited to offer a scholarship to each Chiropractic institution of higher education’s Student Chiropractic Orthopedics club. This scholarship will be awarded to one student at each institution annually and will be applied to credits towards the classes needed to become a Chiropractic Orthopedist. A scholarship will be awarded at each institution via an application process. This scholarship will provide 50 credits towards your Chiropractic Orthopedic training program (a $1,500.00 value).

To qualify to for the scholarship the student must comply with the following stipulations:

  1. Be an active member of the Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA).
  2. Be a student member of the American Chiropractic Association’s Council on Chiropractic Orthopedics (there is no charge to become a student member).
  3. Write a 500 word paper on how the CCO can help you as a student understand more fully what a Chiropractic Orthopedist is and how being a Chiropractic Orthopedist can help you in your professional career. Please also include what further information you would like to learn about being a Chiropractic Orthopedist.

The deadline for scholarship applications will be January 31st of each year.

Email your finished application form to the following email addresses:

drdoyle@doylechiro.com,
drrobmcknight@gmail.com,
llswank1976@outlook.com

Scholarship Application
Chiropractor explains patient using plastic model

Medicare Patient Access to Chiropractic: H.R. 2654

Link - acatoday.org

Legislation championed by ACA to increase Medicare coverage of chiropractic services has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

*The Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act (H.R. 2654)* would allow Medicare beneficiaries access to the chiropractic profession’s broad-based, non-drug approach to pain management, which includes manual manipulation of the spine and extremities, evaluation and management services, diagnostic imaging and utilization of other non-drug approaches that have become an important strategy in national efforts to stem the epidemic of prescription opioid overuse and abuse.

H.R. 2654:

  • Provides patient access to all Medicare-covered benefits allowable under a chiropractor’s state licensure.
  • Requires that DCs complete a documentation webinar.
  • Appropriately defines a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) as a “physician” in the Medicare program.
  • Is bipartisan legislation, introduced by 16 cosponsors from both political parties.
TAKE ACTION NOW
Young chiropractor explains treatment plan to seni

ACA Continues to Fight CMS Reduction in Physician Fee Schedule Reimbursement

As a founding member of the E/M Coalition, ACA recently signed a letter urging congressional leaders to include additional funds for the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) in forthcoming legislation

Link - PDF

This effort is an extension of work that ACA and our coalition partners started in late 2020 and which included the introduction of legislation to delay PFS cuts.

FAQ

Link - acatoday.org

Resources

Link - acatoday.org

Patients

Link - handsdownbetter.org

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