The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has created a new opportunity for ACA members interested in making an impact on current and future health policy affecting doctors of chiropractic and their patients. The ACA Health Policy Fellowship was launched this year by the ACA Code Development and Valuation Subcommittee, which is now seeking interested candidates for the position. Subcommittee chair Kris Anderson, DC, MS, will host a live question and answer session this week on Oct. 18 from 8 p.m.- 9 p.m. EST. Members should submit their interest in the fellowship by Oct. 30.
Below, Dr. Anderson, answers some initial questions about the fellowship for ACA Blog readers:
First, tell us about ACA’s participation in the AMA Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) and AMA RVS Update Committee (RUC) coding development process. What advantage does this give to ACA members?
Dr. Anderson: Through representation by ACA, AMA CPT and AMA RUC give the chiropractic profession a voice in the process of creating codes and valuing services provided to patients across the entire healthcare landscape. By participating in the process, we also contribute the expertise and input needed to describe the services provided by chiropractic physicians when those services need reassessment.
What are the purpose and goals of the new ACA Health Policy Fellowship?
Dr. Anderson: The purpose of the fellowship is to create an opportunity to educate interested individuals in ACA’s health policy and coding activities while enhancing the organization’s capacity to contribute to national health policy initiatives and collaborate with external healthcare organizations. Our overall goal is to develop leaders within the association that express a deeper understanding of these issues and encourage them to advocate on behalf of ACA and the interests of the chiropractic profession in large-scale initiatives.
What are the potential benefits to the chiropractic profession?
Dr. Anderson: Through this program, selected fellows will be able to participate in CPT and resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) processes while also learning to strategize on how to contribute to Medicare and third-party payer reimbursement and coverage issues.
The new program benefits ACA membership and the field of chiropractic overall because it enables DCs to have the opportunity to engage with other professional societies in the creation of codes and procedures that impact each of our abilities to provide access to quality medical service to our patients and community. It also creates a gateway to showcasing that chiropractic is necessary to many healthcare teams and can improve patient outcomes and public health initiatives.
What qualities or qualifications are you looking for in potential candidates for the fellowship?
Dr. Anderson: We are seeking candidates who are enthusiastic about improving current health policy issues and changing the way that ACA and its members interact with other organizations. We wish to establish stronger relationships with other entities to ensure that ACA is acting collaboratively and in the best interests of DCs at a national level. To do so, candidates must be equipped with at least five years of practice experience, be an ACA member, and hold an active chiropractic license. Of course, as the first iteration of the fellowship evolves, we need member input to consider how we might modify future similar opportunities.
Is there anything else members should know?
Dr. Anderson: The fellowship is the first of its kind. We believe this program will create a wave of new ACA leaders who will possess the skill to comfortably discuss the topic of coding guidance and provide support as content experts. It has the potential to open new doors for us as DCs and influence our future as contributors to national health policy efforts seeking to improve the lives of the average citizen, especially those who desperately need access to chiropractic medicine.
If members have more questions about the fellowship, where should they go for answers?
Dr. Anderson: If you have questions or would like any additional information, please contact me, Dr. Kris Anderson, at [email protected] or Dr. Leo Bronston at [email protected]. We also will host a live Q&A session related to the fellowship on Oct. 18 from 8 p.m.- 9 p.m. EST (Zoom link here). We hope to see you there! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We anticipate your interest and application submissions.
