Legislative Information Page
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Table of Contents
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1. 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.
2. Arizona State Legislature
Homepage for the Arizona State Legislature
3. 2011 ACS Message to Arizona Legislature: Chiropractors are Part of the Solution and Here is the Evidence to Prove It
What happens in a typical BCBS plan when chiropractors are the first contact provider for patients with low back pain compared to MDs? There is a 40% cost savings. Click here to read the results of a peer-reviewed medical journal study which reported these striking findings.
What happens when you add chiropractic care to a large health plan like AHCCCS? This has been thoroughly researched and you can find the answer by clicking here which will open a new page full of scientific proof.
What happens when chiropractors become primary care physician (PCP) gatekeepers? This has also been thoroughly researched with results published in peer-reviewed medical literature. Click here to open a new page with all the scientific evidence.
4. Governor Vetoes SB 1593 Health Insurance - Interstate Purchase
In the 2011 Legislative session, Governor Brewer vetoed SB 1593 Health Insurance -- Interstate Purchase. This bill would have allowed out-of-state insurers to sell policies in Arizona even if they did not cover chiropractic. Two days before being sent to the Governor, the bill was amended so that if an insurer sold such a policy then all Arizona insurers could have dropped their chiropractic coverage. On 04/15/11, ACS sent out an urgent veto message to 1,700 email recipients and then a second email to ACS members on 04/28/11 urging them to ask the Governor to veto SB 1593. The ACS effort had a strong impact. Also, the Governor was not comfortable signing a bill that had received no consideration in committee with public input, not did she like the idea that Arizona consumers would have to take their complaints against insurers to regulators in other states. You can read her full veto message by clicking here.
5. Former AAC Delegate/Leader David Berg, D.C. Gives $6250 to TruthAZ Which Uses Funds to Advocate Defeat of Chiropractic Supporter Sen. Linda Gray
Former AAC Delegate and leader David Berg, D.C. gave $6250 to TruthAZ on 10/06/10 which was then used to help fund the $28,101.60 TruthAZ October 2010 mailing and email campaign advocating the defeat of Sen. Linda Gray for State Senate. Sen. Gray was the lead sponsor of the ACS copay and deductible insurance equality legislation in 2007 and 2008, and was one of the two legislators that asked the Attorney General for an opinion on the legality of the copays. For many years she has been one of the leading advocates for chiropractic in the state legislature. Dr. Berg's advocacy for the defeat of Sen. Gray is completely at odds with the political goals of the chiropractic profession. Click here to open a new page and read the entire story with all supporting documents.
6. Arizona Attorney General Issues Legal Opinion About Insurance Equality Law
In November 2009, ACS lobbyist Ed Wren sent a letter to Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard requesting action on the request for a legal opinion made by Arizona State Senators Linda Gray and Rebecca Rios. Read his letter in PDF format by clicking here.
Shortly thereafter, the Attorney General's Office responded to Mr. Wren. You can read the entire letter in PDF format by clicking here.
Finally, on June 16, 2010, the AG issued the long awaited legal opinion. It is partially unfavorable and partially favorable. Therefore, ACS is going to the courts to get a final interpretation. Click here to read the AG's legal opinion.
7. Live Video Testimony from the Arizona Legislature of Dr. Immerman
8. Mandate Lite Bills Must Remove Provider Sections - ACS Takes Action at Legislature
Back and neck problems are ubiquitous. When the pain is severe enough, patients will seek professional care. Their options are chiropractic and medical drugs (oral and injectable), and surgery. Some have argued that removing chiropractic from health insurance policies will save money. However, this directs all patients to receive drugs, injections and/or surgery. These options are more expensive than chiropractic. See Dr. Immerman argue these points in live streaming video of testimony on behalf of the entire chiropractic profession at the Legislature on February 16, 2009 by clicking here then scrolling down to the House Banking and Insurance Committee for that date. Click here to read the full ACS position papers and fact sheets provided to the Arizona Legislature regarding this issue. competition and increase costs.
There are certain Arizona laws in place which mandate presence of providers such as chiropractors in health plans. This was in direct response to the medical profession’s illegal “boycott and conspiracy” against the chiropractic profession which earned the AMA a permanent injunction order, see attached, still in force today, which forbids further efforts to destroy the competition. We need these laws. Previous Republican-controlled conservative legislatures back to the days of Senate President Bob Usdane, Senator Jan Brewer, Speakers Mark Killian and Jeff Groscost enacted these laws to allow medical freedom of choice and dismantle the medical monopoly.
The conservative Cato Institute has argued convincingly that health care cost reduction efforts should increase the different types of providers involved in the marketplace, not reduce the number. Click here to read the Executive Summary of the Cato Institute Report entitled: The Medical Monopoly: Protecting Consumers or Limiting Competition?"
9. ACS Works to Pass new Insurance Equality Legislation and to Enforce Existing Law
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, join ACS. You can join by clicking here or you can donate by clicking here. Read testimonials written by Arizona chiropractors about ACS by clicking here.
No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.
Mark Twain (1866)
10. Key Letter 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 and 1990 insurance equality law. The law was passed in 1990 and expanded in 1991 to become ARS 20-461(A)17 and ARS 20-461(B).
Letter from Senate President Bob Usdane in 1990 to Dr. Immerman regarding ARS 20-461.
Letter from Rep. Debra Brimhall regarding passage of HMO chiropractic legislation in 2000 and 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.
11. ACS Asked Legislature in 2008 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, SB 1152, as originally introduced.
Click here to open an entire new page describing the 2008 legislative campaign in great detail including the letter from the BCBS lobbyist to the House Health Committee Chairman which is posted here in which he states that chiropractic has no clinical benefit whatsoever.
12. 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. Final outcome: Bill did not pass.
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.
ACS 2007 LEGISLATIVE POSITION PAPER REGARDING COPAYMENTS AND DEDUCTIBLES -- COMPREHENSIVE: Click here to read
Read the ACS position paper supplied to support legislation to end discriminatory copayments and deductibles. It is a comprehensive and fully documented package of information that you do not want to miss.
13. ACS Litigation and Legislation Forced Blue Cross Blue Shield to Open its Participating and PPO Networks to Chiropractors in 2004 After Negotiations Failed
ACS litigation and legislation forced Blue Cross Blue Shield to open its Participating and PPO networks to chiropractors in 2004 after negotiations completely failed to solve the problem. Click here to open a new page with the full story, completely documented in detail.
14. 2004 Legislative Session and Partial Repeal of Insurance Equality
Arlan Fuhr, DC and Activator Methods International split from both the AAC and ACS and supported a United HealthCare and insurance industry bill which now allows all insurers to single out chiropractors and spinal adjustments for medical necessity reviews and post payment audit reviews. Read the full story in the American Journal of Clinical Chiropractic by clicking here.
The United HealthCare effort would have failed without the additional assistance of AAC lobbyist Barry Aarons who also helped pass this law. Here are the details as published in the August 2008 ACS Newsletter which was distributed to the entire Arizona chiropractic profession and is posted online at www.AZChiropractors.org. As of November, 2010, no one has ever accepted ACS' ongoing invitation to offer any corrections or rebuttals to this story. Therefore, this report stands as fact. Click here to open a new page and read the entire story which is full documented in detail.
15. 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
Webmaster's note: For comprehensive information about every annual ACS legislative campaign dating back to 1995, go to the page where all ACS Monthly Newsletters are posted and read the details.