Arlington, Va. —The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has announced the speaker lineup for the General Session of the 2016 National Chiropractic Leadership Conference (NCLC), taking place Feb. 24-27 in Washington, D.C. NCLC is a unique opportunity for supporters of chiropractic to help set the direction for the future of the profession, encompassing legislative briefings, advocacy, leadership development sessions and continuing education programming.
“ACA is leading the fight for Medicare parity for chiropractic patients,” said ACA President Anthony Hamm, DC. “Over the next few days together in Washington, chiropractic physicians, assistants and students will be helping to set the direction of chiropractic in America by participating in advocacy briefings and meeting with federal legislators on Capitol Hill to let them know that doctors of chiropractic are the most underutilized physician group under Medicare. This is in spite of our conservative care model emphasizing the delivery of patient centered, value-based care resulting in high patient satisfaction.”
This year’s NCLC speakers are:
- Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) – Sen. Isakson will be the Congressional Keynote Speaker during the morning session on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 8:15 a.m. Well-known for his support of quality health care for America’s veterans, Sen. Isakson guided the 21st Century Veterans Benefits Delivery Act through the Senate late last year, which included an ACA-backed provision expanding access to the services provided by chiropractic physicians in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs health delivery system.
- Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Penn.) – Rep. Costello will be a featured speaker during the morning session on Thursday, Feb. 25. Rep. Costello, a House freshman, is a key member of the Veterans Affairs Committee.
- Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) – Rep. Kind will be a featured speaker during the morning session on Thursday, Feb. 25. Rep. Kind is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, Medicare, Social Security and international trade. He serves on the Subcommittee on Health, and since becoming a member in 2007, he has focused on issues relating to small businesses, specifically their health care challenges.
- Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) – Rep. Meadows will be a featured speaker during the morning session on Thursday, Feb. 25. Rep. Meadows is a key member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) – Rep. Smith will be a featured speaker during the morning session on Thursday, Feb. 25. Rep. Smith is a key member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
- Greg Kawchuk, DC, PhD – Dr. Kawchuk, a researcher and associate professor at the University of Alberta, will deliver the prestigious McAndrews Leadership Lecture on Saturday, Feb. 27. Dr. Kawchuk, whose research focuses on defining the mechanisms that initiate and sustain spinal disorders so that clinically relevant strategies can be developed toward their prevention or resolution, will discuss how developing leadership, not leaders, is the key to a sustainable future for chiropractic.
In addition to grassroots advocacy, this year’s meeting will also give attendees the opportunity to hear more than 20 chiropractic physicians speak on various topics organized in four tracks: Patient Health, Clinical Practice, Principles and Methods and Integrated Practices. NCLC 2016 will offer more than 20 hours of clinical professional development, continuing education and business management coaching from leading experts. The full conference program can be viewed on the NCLC website.
NOTE: Qualified media representatives are invited to attend NCLC free of charge. Members of the press can contact Nicole Racadag for more information.
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The American Chiropractic Association based in Arlington, Va., is the largest professional association in the United States representing doctors of chiropractic. ACA promotes the highest standards of ethics and patient care, contributing to the health and well-being of millions of chiropractic patients. Visit us at www.acatoday.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
