Chiropractic and the COVID-19 Pandemic

ACA’s mission is to inspire and empower its members to elevate the health and wellness of their communities. To that end, during the COVID-19 pandemic the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) was a trusted source and advocate for chiropractic patients, healthcare providers and facilities, sharing accurate information regarding the coronavirus and related relief programs. In addition, ACA participated in interviews with the media to clarify misinformation and highlighted the ways doctors of chiropractic helped members of their communities.

ACA encouraged members to follow CDC guidance, shared OSHA guidance and distributed information on financial assistant programs. For example, ACA provided information to members about COVID relief payments and loans available to small business and information regarding The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help chiropractors navigate financial challenges caused by the pandemic. ACA also advocated for government assistant to health care facilities strained by COVID responses.

Officially designated as part of the essential workforce by the Department of Homeland Security during the pandemic, doctors of chiropractic stepped up to help their communities in more ways than one. Many chiropractors, such as Hawaii delegate Joseph Morelli, DC, played an important role in keeping other essential workers, such as teachers, truck drivers, and hospital personnel, working and on the front lines. Others, such as several doctors from one family practice in South Dakota, assisted with community COVID relief efforts by organizing and managing a large-scale local COVID testing initiative.

A Look Back at ACA's COVID-19 Advocacy

For historical purposes, ACA offers links below with information on various healthcare initiatives the association assisted with during the pandemic as well as statements issued by ACA leadership during the time.

ACA signs on with AMA and 70+ other healthcare organizations in favor of waiving budget neutrality requirements (PDF)

ACA Urges Senate Support for Financial Relief for Healthcare Providers in COVID-19 Bill

Call for expanded access to remote learning (and CEs) for chiropractors

Let’s Work Together to Protect and Serve Our Patients, Staff, Families and Communities: ACA is committed to addressing misinformation. Claims are being made that spinal adjustments can boost immunity and decrease the risk of contracting COVID-19. While spinal adjustments are effective for a number of conditions, there is no quality evidence to support that they can improve immunity to COVID-19.

Safe, Responsible Response to COVID-19: Doctors of chiropractic provide essential care and provide needed service during a healthcare crisis.

ACA to HHS: Include DCs on list of “Qualified Professionals”: ACA contacted HHS in the spring of 2021 to encourage the agency to include doctors of chiropractic on the list of those “qualified professionals” who should be authorized to help with the vaccine rollout. (PDF)

ACA to CMS: Allow Chiropractors to Furnish Telehealth Services in Medicare: ACA Contacted the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reiterating the need for chiropractors to furnish telehealth services in Medicare. (PDF)

ACA to Administration: Chiropractors Provide Essential Care to Combat COVID-19: ACA contacted the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Vice President Michael Pence to assert that doctors of chiropractic provide essential care necessary to support healthcare and the nation’s infrastructure.

ACA to Department of Health and Human Services: Allow Chiropractors to Practice to the Full Extent of their Licensure for Telemed Services: ACA contacted the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to request that doctors of chiropractic be authorized to practice to the full scope of their state license via Telemedicine in Medicare in support of efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACA to Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): List Chiropractors as Essential Healthcare Providers: ACA contacted the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) (Department of Homeland Security) to request the addition of chiropractors to the federal list of essential healthcare providers (PDF)

Business Guidance and Loan Resources

Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief Package Contains Tax Fix, More Resources for Chiropractors

 

Call for Protecting the Families of Essential Healthcare Providers (PDF)

Call for Hazard Pay for Healthcare Providers, Aid for Unemployed and Underemployed Healthcare Providers, and Increased Access to Telehealth Services (PDF)

Call for Access to Personal Protection Equipment (PDF)

Call for five-year waiver on budget neutrality for CMS Evaluation and Management (E/M) code proposal (PDF)