LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION PAGE
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Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
-Pericles (430 B.C.)
JOIN ACS NOW IF YOU WANT INSURANCE EQUALITYLEGISLATION TO PASS
ACS has consistently led the way in lobbying for powerful insurance equality legislation for chiropractic in the Arizona Legislature for the past twenty years. If you want such legislation to pass, you must join ACS. You can find a membership application here. Read what other Arizona chiropractors say about ACS here.
No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.
-Mark Twain (1866)
ARIZONA CHIROPRACTIC SOCIETY LOBBYIST
The Arizona Chiropractic Society is proud to be represented at the Arizona State Legislature by Debra Brimhall Pearson. She maintains an extensive website describing her background. Ms. Pearson (then known as Representative Brimhall) was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from 1996-2002 and was the leading champion at the Legislature for chiropractic issues. She is an advocate of chiropractic primarily because of her own personal experiences with chiropractic care, and those of her family and friends. She is a tireless political worker for the chiropractic profession in Arizona.
ARIZONA CHIROPRACTIC SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE MISSION STATEMENT
If a health insurance policy covers reasonable and necessary services provided by a medical or osteopathic physician then the policy must cover reasonable and necessary services provided by a chiropractor if the patient's problem is within the scope of practice of a chiropractor. No discrimination should be allowed against the usual and customary procedures employed by a chiropractor including adjustments, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, dietary measures, exercise, etc. This mission statement has been at the root of the Arizona Chiropractic Society's successful passage of four insurance equality laws since 1990, and is the basis of the Society's continuing efforts at the present time.
ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE
Homepage for the Arizona State Legislature
How do I find my legislators?
KEY LETTERS FROM LEGISLATORS
These letters from elected leaders in Arizona document the ACS involvement with insurance equality legislation over the past twenty years. History tends to repeat itself so Arizona chiropractors count on ACS to pass new legislation in the future.
Letter from Rep. Bill English in 1989 to Dr. Immerman. Rep. English was the prime sponsor of 1989 insurance equality law. The law was passed in 1990 and expanded in 1991 to become ARS 20-461 A.17 and B.
Letter from Senate President Bob Usdane in 1990 to Dr. Immerman regarding ARS 20-461 A.17 and B.
Letter from Rep. Debra Brimhall regarding passage of HMO chiropractic legislation in 2000, a tribute to Dr. Immerman.
Letter from Rep. Debra Brimhall to the profession regarding passage of HMO chiropractic legislation in 2000
Letter from House Speaker Jeff Groscost to Dr. Immerman in 2000 regarding passage of HMO chiropractic legislation
Read all of these letters by clicking here.
REP. MARK ANDERSON CONFRONTS BCBS OVER CONTRADICTIONS BETWEEN TESTIMONY AND POLICY
State Rep. Mark Anderson, a candidate for U.S. Congress for CD 5, has challenged BCBS in a letter regarding the contradiction between the testimony of a BCBS lobbyist and the policy of BCBS as expressed in letters to some Arizona chiropractors. In testimony before the Senate Health Committee on 01/31/08, Charles Bassett, a lobbyist for BCBS, stated that BCBS "was opening up its PPO network to any chiropractor who could pass credentialing." This was said even though Mr. Bassett had previously been supplied with copies of letters from BCBS regarding up to four chiropractors stating that they had been denied admittance to the network only because it was "adequate" with no mention of any problem with credentialing. The BCBS "no-join" letters supplied to Mr. Bassett well in advance of the hearing are posted here and here and here. It is unlawful to knowingly provide false testimony to the Legislature.
Following the hearing, Dr. Immerman, ACS President, sent an email to certain legislators asking for an investigation of this matter. Rep. Anderson was the only one to take action. You will find a copy of his letter, the BCBS response, and the Bassett testimony here. After reading this material, you will not be surprised to learn that Rep. Anderson has been the ACS Legislator of the Year many times because of his dedication to the Chiropractic cause, nor that ACS has endorsed Rep. Anderson for U.S. Congress in the primary for CD 5. Please send Mark a thank you to manderson@azleg.gov.
JUNE 12, 2008 UPDATE ON THE CHIROPRACTICCOPAY/DEDUCTIBLE LEGISLATION
SB 1048 SE is now dead as the chiropractic copay bill. This does not mean we are giving up for 2008. This session will not adjourn until the end of June. Between now and then, there will be many bills moving through the process. It will be possible for us to attach our copay language to at least one of these bills. There will not be much advance notice. Stay tuned for urgent notices of legislative action alerts by signing up for the ACS newsletter, see above left box. In the interim, find your own legislators by going to www.azleg.gov and clicking on How do I find my legislator. Follow the directions and identify your two state representatives and one state senator (not U.S.). Regularly send them emails and make calls explaining how important the copay/deductible is to you, and how you want them to find some way this session to get it passed, even if they have to amend it onto another bill creatively. Tell them you want them to work with Debra Brimhall Pearson NOW to solve this problem. Be adamant. Be insistent. Be persistent. Arm yourself with they key talking points by reading the ACS Position Papers posted here.
ACS is also working hard to enforce our existing insurance equality law which the ACS expert insurance lawyer advises prohibits discriminatory copays and deductibles in place today. Read the June 2008 ACS Newsletter for complete information by clicking here.
ACS TO ASK LEGISLATURE TO REDUCE CHIROPRACTIC COPAYS AND DEDUCTIBLES FROM SPECIALIST TO PCP LEVELS
In January 2008, at the request of ACS, the Arizona Legislature considered a bill to reduce copays, coinsurance and deductibles for chiropractic care from specialist to primary care physician (PCP) levels. ACS lobbyist and former state representative Debra Brimhall Pearson met with legislators full-time for months in advance to prepare. In addition, Dr. Immerman and many ACS members met with legislators. Here is the link to the bill as originally introduced.
Copays are now often as high as $55 for specialists of which DCs are now illegitimately considered one, while copays for PCPs are usually $20. Deductibles for DCs can be $500-$1500 versus $0 for a PCP. Patients are driven by finances to choose PCPs and not DCs. When the law is changed, your patients and practice will see definite relief.
Such discrimination is unlawful based on the insurance equality laws passed by ACS and its ancestor organizations in 1990-1991 (see www.AZChiropractors.org). Therefore, ACS is also working to gain proper enforcement of existing law
On 10/24/07, a stakeholders’ meeting was held by House Health Committee Chair Bob Stump. Attendees included Senator Gray, ACS, AAC, and BCBS representatives. BCBS announced that it would lower $60-$70 copays to $55, open up the PPO network to all DCs (which would subject all claims to the copay as compared to non-PPO claims where no copay applies), and no longer call DCs specialists. ACS rejected the $55 copay as clearly far too high and grossly discriminatory. ACS stated it would be moving forward with legislation to require full parity with PCPs. AAC refused to join ACS in the legislation and thanked BCBS for its show of good faith with the new $55 copay. AAC stated that this amount of incremental gain is acceptable with the hope that future negotiations in years ahead may provide further relief.
ACS member Nels Larson, D.C., stated in an email to the AAC: “My income has gone down almost100K THIS YEAR! Guess why? A great majority was from BCBS. While you sit and ‘negotiate’, all of the doctors I know are going broke. This is not good. So far I'm not sure whose side you are on.”
On January 3, 2008, AAC President Rich Guarino, D.C. sent an email to all members stating that the AAC would not be supporting any insurance legislation in 2008. Read the email here. ACS was left to carry the bill alone.
2007 LEGISLATION
SB 1504 Chiropractors; Copays, Coinsurance, Deductibles: As of June, 2007, ACS is working very hard to get the language of this bill passed. Sponsored by chiropractic legislative champions Senators Linda Gray and Rebecca Rios, it has already passed the full Senate and almost passed the House in the conventional manner. If enacted, it would require insurers to charge copayments, coinsurance and deductibles for chiropractors that are the same as they are for medical and osteopathic primary care physicians. At the current time in Arizona, there are huge disparities creating burdensome financial barriers for patients when they seek chiropractic care. This bill would level the playing field and make it possible again for patients to use their insurance benefits for chiropractic care.
HB 2757 Health Insurance; Certain Mandates Excluded: Sponsored by Rep. Kirk Adams. This bill, if passed, would have allowed individual health insurers to sell "Mandate-Lite" policies which would not be required to offer certain state mandated benefits including chiropractic. The bill passed the House on a party line vote with all 32 Republicans in favor and all 27 Democrats opposed. ACS successfully helped kill this bill in the Senate Health Committee when Republican Committee Chair Senator Carolyn Allen and Vice-Chair Senator Tom O'Halleran joined with the 3 Democrats on the committee to defeat the bill 5-2. This bill then came back to life as SB 1107, see below.
SB 1107 Health Insurance; Certain Mandates Excluded: Identical to HB 2757. Sponsored by Sen. Barbara Leff. As of April 26, 2007, this bill was pending final vote in the House of Representatives where it is expected to be supported by all Republicans and opposed by all Democrats. Read the May 2007 ACS News for much more information including complete instructions and a sample letter for lobbying your legislator. There is still an opportunity to kill this bill in the House and Senate and preserve freedom of choice for chiropractic care in individual health insurance policies in Arizona. Continue to read the progress on this bill in ACS newsletters posted on this site.
HB 2115 Professions; Disciplinary Action; Continuing Education: This law gives the Chiropractic Board the option of ordering chiropractors to take continuing education courses for minor violations of the Chiropractic Act instead of disciplining one's professional license. For example, if a doctor has been found in violation of the record keeping rules, the Board under the new law is able to order course work instead of imposing discipline. This bill was signed by the Governor on April 16, 2007 and became law ninety days after the end of the legislative session. This bill was a joint effort of ACS and AAC. Both associations and their lobbyists worked very well together to develop the bill and guide it successfully through the legislative process.
FINAL NOTES ON 2007 LEGISLATIVE SESSION: ACS' effort to pass SB 1504 copayments/deductibles failed on the second to the last day of the legislative session, although we were able to defeat Mandate Lite. Please read the July 2007 ACS News for complete information. ACS is the only state association in Arizona with an effective legislative program.
2004 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Dr. Arlan Fuhr and Activator Methods International split from both the AAC and ACS and testified in favor of a United HealthCare and insurance industry bill which now allows all insurers to single out spinal adjustments for medical necessity reviews. Read the full story of betrayal in the American Journal of Clincal Chiropractic here.
1999 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Numbers add up differently in fight over health care bill, Phoenix Business Journal, March 5, 1999
Chiropractic boycott must cease, Editorial by Alan M. Immerman, D.C. Phoenix Business Journal, August 20, 1999
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