Legislation Would Include Chiropractic Physicians in U.S. Public Health Service

A new bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would improve the quality of America’s health care infrastructure by further integrating doctors of chiropractic (DCs) through the nation’s official delivery and research networks.  H.R. 3851, introduced by Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), calls for the appointment of chiropractic physicians as officers in the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps.  “A top priority of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has always been to increase access to and utilization of chiropractic services available through the federal government,” said ACA President Anthony Hamm, DC. “The services of chiropractic physicians will be a tremendous value to the Public Health Service’s Commissioned Corps, and enacting this legislation will be another important milestone in the mission to fully integrate chiropractic care into the nation’s health care delivery system.”  H.R. 3851 would include DCs in the USPHS Regular Corps and the Ready Reserve Corps, and would require the president, in consultation with the Surgeon General and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, to appoint no fewer than six DCs to the Commissioned Corps. Although the Commissioned Corps includes representatives from many diverse health care professions, no DCs have ever been appointed to serve.  “Chiropractic physicians already serve our nation’s active-duty military and veterans with distinction,” said Dr. Hamm. “H.R. 3851 will allow DCs to join forces with other health care providers in the fight against disease, poor health conditions and other threats during both non-emergency and emergency periods for our country. We extend our appreciation to Rep. Green for his effort to introduce this long-overdue legislation.”  USPHS is an elite team of more than 6,000 full-time, well trained, highly qualified public health professionals dedicated to delivering the nation’s public health promotion and disease prevention programs and advancing public health science. As one of America's seven uniformed services, the Commissioned Corps fills essential public health leadership and service roles within the nation's federal government agencies and programs. Officers in the Corps provide health care services in a variety of locations and venues, including care to members of the U.S. Coast Guard and at community health centers.