President’s Message: Looking Back with Gratitude, Looking Forward with Hope

I’m guessing I’m like most people right now, wrapping up projects and planning for the holidays, all the while asking, “Where did the year go?” Here we are at the end of 2021—the second year navigating our personal and professional lives through a global pandemic. As ACA president, I’m proud to say that despite these challenging circumstances, we as an association have been able to move the needle forward for chiropractic and member value.

The reason behind our progress is no mystery; it’s the commitment of ACA members and volunteer leaders, without whose support nothing would be possible. I believe these times have confirmed the value of sticking together as a profession for strength, encouragement and advancement. Below are examples of a few ACA projects that gained steam or were undertaken during this past year and that will bear fruit in 2022 and hopefully beyond:

H.R. 2654 Exceeds 100 Cosponsors

One of the best stories of 2021 has been the remarkable progress we have made on the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act (H.R. 2654). We were just shy of 100 cosponsors on the previous version of this bill, but our amazing ACA member advocates have lobbied so hard for this current legislation that we blew past 100 cosponsors in November. More than 50 percent of House Ways and Means Committee members—and 58 percent of Ways and Means Health Subcommittee members—have signed on in support of the bill. We enter 2022 with real momentum, thanks to the efforts of so many people, especially members of the ACA Legislative Committee and ACA PAC.

If you have not done so, please send a letter to your member of the U.S. House of Representatives to urge them to support this important legislation for America’s seniors. Visit www.HR2654.org and click “Take action now.” In addition, please consider joining ACA on Feb. 24, 2022, as we conduct a virtual lobby day designed to encourage additional members of Congress to support greater Medicare beneficiary access to chiropractic. Click here to learn more and to register.

Learn ACA Subscription Package

Online education has certainly proved valuable over the past two years. At ACA, the increased demand for webinars due to the pandemic prompted us to rethink how we can offer a better experience to our members and other doctors who rely on our content. The result is a new Learn ACA subscription package for 2022 that will encompass 12 live educational webinars plus Learn ACA’s extensive library of archived webinars. The package, which features content from respected industry leaders and experts, enables ACA to give members greater value by pricing the webinars more competitively and enabling them to access the subscription content any time during the year when it is most convenient. CE credits will also be available on many of the programs. Look for more information about this coming soon!

A New Website

ACA is committed to innovating and improving services for our members. We recognize that our website is the most important portal by which members access information and member benefits, and therefore it needs to deliver. This year ACA completed a comprehensive update of www.acatoday.org, which included a thorough review of content and the transition to a new operating platform. The result is a website that functions better from the inside out and is more streamlined for visitors, enabling you to more easily find relevant and timely information and resources to assist you in your practice.

Looking Forward: Engage 2022

One of the things I am most looking forward to next year is seeing friends and colleagues at ACA’s annual meeting, Engage 2022, which will be held Feb. 2-5 in Washington, D.C. The opportunity to come together again, in person, is special. I hope you consider attending. ACA has put together a fantastic program, filled with presentations by respected thought leaders, cutting-edge education programs, and networking events where you can also learn about some of the latest chiropractic products and services. Those who can’t attend in person can still take advantage of Engage 2022’s virtual education sessions. Learn more at www.acatoday.org/Engage.

In closing, I would like to send all ACA members my best wishes for a joyful holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year. We are ever grateful for your tremendous contributions to our efforts through membership, volunteering and leadership. Thank you.

Dr. Maiers is president of the American Chiropractic Association.