When I tell classmates they should be contacting lawmakers, I usually get the same response: “I’m too busy,” or “I wouldn’t know what to say.” But the truth is, if you’re a chiropractic student, you already have what it takes to be an advocate. And right now, your voice matters more than ever.
One of the most urgent issues facing our profession is the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act (H.R. 539/S. 106). This bill would finally allow chiropractors to provide and bill Medicare for the full scope of services we’re trained to deliver, not just spinal manipulation. If passed, it would increase access to care for millions of seniors and help align federal policy with how we already practice in every other setting.
As someone who worked in both the Washington State Legislature and on Capitol Hill before starting chiropractic school, I’ve seen firsthand how much influence a well-told story can have. Lawmakers want to hear from students. They want to understand how federal decisions affect the future of the profession and our ability to serve patients. When we show up, it makes a difference.
But advocacy doesn’t begin and end in Washington, D.C.
Some of the most important laws that affect your ability to practice–such as licensure, scope of practice, insurance mandates, and student loan regulations–are made at the state level, and your state association is working hard on these issues every day. They need student voices too.
Why Students Should Care About the Medicare Modernization Act
- It defines your future. Right now, Medicare won’t reimburse chiropractors for exams, rehab, or imaging…even if you’re fully licensed to perform them. That limits your scope, your income, and your impact.
- It affects how the profession is viewed. Medicare policy sends a message to other payers and professions. This bill is about more than payment; it’s about recognition.
- It won’t move without pressure. Bills like this don’t pass on good intentions. They pass when lawmakers hear from people like you.
How to Step in and Speak Up
- Join SACA. If your campus has a chapter, show up. If it doesn’t, reach out. We’ll help you start one.
- Learn the bill. Know what the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act does and why it matters.
- Use your voice. Go to https://www.acatoday.org/advocacy and send a message to your elected officials. It takes less than two minutes.
- Get involved in your state association. Ask when their legislative day is. Meet the DCs doing the work. Show up. You don’t need to be an expert, just be present.
If we want a profession that reflects what we’re trained to do, we must fight for it. And it starts now, not after graduation.
You don’t have to be a policy expert to be effective. You just have to care. You already understand the science. Now lean into the strategy. The future of chiropractic and your place in it depends on all of us showing up where it counts.
Jesse D. (JD) Greening is a chiropractic student at the University of Western States in Portland, Ore., and the National Chair of the Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA). A first-generation college student, U.S. Navy veteran, and former staffer in the Washington State Legislature and U.S. Congress, Jesse brings a passion for public policy and advocacy into the chiropractic profession. He is committed to helping future DCs speak up, show up, and shape the future of healthcare.
