Hello From Our Nation's Capitol and the ACA's House of Delegates Meeting and NCLC

[Guest guest]

Dear Colleagues, Hi from Washington, DC., update on Florida PIP situation in short dear colleagues not good. A few minutes ago I spoke with Dr. Gentile from Florida and informed me that unlike Oregon the Florida Governor a medical doctor apparently “hates” chiropractors the Gov is a Republican and the Florida State Senate and House are both controlled by the Republicans and the insurance companies have fast track this horrible change in Florida’s PIP law by introducing the proposed legislation (Bill) in both the House and the Senate and it has traction! What Dr. Gentile said the colleagues wish to attempt is to develop guidelines for proper care of some sort…sound familiar doctors?? however went on to say, “unfortunately Vern I fear the horse is already out of the barn it may very likely be too late for us…” Will we allow Oregon to be next? The Florida new law if passed will require auto injury cases to go directly to a hospital only then only by referral can the Florida consumer go to the next healthcare provider the ER MDs will be in absolute charge and just for added measure chiropractic physicians and licensed massage therapist are written completely out of auto PIP consumers will not be allowed to see either…well that’s not exactly true they can but…they will be required to pay cash! On a positive note good meetings on Capitol Hill colleagues we have very strong support from our Congressional delegation the students, faculty, and President Joe Brimhall are also representing the profession very well and we had a very good dinner/strategy meeting last night regarding the Portland VA Medical Center and it’s Director. Specifically Dr. Lester Lamm and I spoke of the mind-set conveyed by one official at the Portland VA who mentioned to Dr. Lamm that they didn’t appreciate the University going to Senator Wyden Directly two years ago as they insinuated that “they” the Portland VA don’t answer to Congress type deal! Well I assure you colleagues that’s where their money comes from and they indeed most assuredly answer to Congress and should and must act in the best interest of our wonderful Veterans many of which have given much and ask for so little in return. This morning at 7:00 AM the ACA Insurance Commission met which I had been recently appointed to by ACA President Overland and when I mentioned this mind-set of “not answering to Congress” by the official at the Portland, VA., Falardeau head of the ACA Governmental Relations said, “Well Vern, I assure you that your Oregon Senator Ron Wyden will be very interested to hear that the Portland VA Medical Center doesn’t believe it answer’s to Congress!” Well again colleagues if the officials were a little upset, taken off their game, taken by surprise, felt a little “under the gun” they ain’t seeing nothing yet doctors! We have had it, veterans are mad as hell and the ain’t going to take it anymore the ACA/OCA are about to go “politically thermonuclear” on the Portland VA Medical Center and its officials who have been dragging their feet for 10 years now. Dragging their feet in regards to Congress’s directive by law to the VA in 2002 to provide full chiropractic treatment to all veterans. The Oregon Chiropractic Association your only state association that is protecting your practice act, that is moving the profession forward has successfully passed the OCA’s House Joint Memorial 201 which instructs the Portland VA Medical Center Director to follow through with what Congress instructed the VA to do 10 long years ago and that is to provide chiropractic services to all veterans, to hire a full time chiropractic physician at the Portland VA, to provide chiropractic services at the VA’s outpatient clinics, to our offices by timely referrals and to open the Portland VA Medical Center’s teaching hospital to fourth year chiropractic interns from UWS. We have the full support of our US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkely, Congressmen Kurt Schrader and Earl Blumenauer as well as the Chairs of the Oregon State Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman and committee members, the House Veterans Affairs Committee Co-Chairs and several of its committee members and officials from the Governor Kitzhaber’s office. As the OCA lobbyist and your ACA Delegate I will be hand delivering the OCA’s House Joint Resolution resoundingly supported and passed by our State Legislature to the Medical Director and staff of the Portland VA Medical Center. Senators Wyden, Merkley, Congressmen Schrader, and Blumenauer have committed to be at this high level meeting with the VA Director or to be on the conference call. They have committed to having their in-district staff members physically at the meeting. The Chairs and several committee members of our Oregon State Veterans Committees have agreed to be at the meeting in person, officials from the Governor’s office and finally officials from the University of Western States…we simply are simply “mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore.” Blessings, From our nation’s capitol, Vern Saboe