February is now in the books and it was quite a month for TCA. Just two weeks after concluding a record-setting TCA Legislative Day and the 2017 Texas Chiropractic Legislative Conference in Austin, TCA made the trip to Lubbock for the 2017 Mid-Winter Conference at the Overton Hotel & Conference Center. A big thank you to the 120+ doctors of chiropractic, chiropractic assistants, office managers and staff who made this year’s event a success.

Friday, March 10, is the deadline for filing bills in the Texas Legislature. TCA’s legislative team has been hard at work drafting legislative language, meeting with legislators and reviewing the hundreds of bills that could potentially impact chiropractic in Texas. Here’s an update on key TCA bills.

An appeals court has withdrawn its opinion favoring the chiropractic profession in the lawsuit between acupuncturists and chiropractors. Acupuncturists will now have a second chance to convince the courts that doctors of chiropractic should not be allowed to make use of acupuncture therapy because it is "owned" by the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners.

A Texas Supreme Court ruling regarding a different profession seems to take a position favorable to the chiropractic argument in the numerous cases involving TMA and TBCE. The court notes, "We ... conclude that the Medical Association makes too much of the rule’s use of the word ‘diagnostic.’"

There is a greater risk of financial loss due to improper discounting and faulty financial and collection policies than ever before. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Medicare are cracking down on healthcare fraud and abuse. TCA and Friend of Chiropractic Sponsor ChiroHealthUSA hosted the webinar Risky Business: Texas earlier this week. Miss the webinar? Listen to the webinar replay.

Registration is open for Chiro Texpo ’17, the chiropractic event of the year in Texas, on June 9-11. TCA’s signature conference returns to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, this time at the Hyatt Regency Dallas downtown.  For a limited time, TCA members can take advantage of the special members-only rate of $199 – a saving of $126 off the regular registration price. Act fast ... this offer is limited to the first 50 members who sign up. Register now!  You can register for Chiro Texpo three ways: register online, complete and return the registration form or call the TCA office at (512) 477-9292. 

Texas Chiropractic College faculty member Dr. Cory Mayon, DC, served as the team chiropractor for the Atlanta Falcons in the days leading up to Super Bowl LI in Houston.

A Texas neurosurgeon whose work was described as being "like letting an amateur loose in surgery" has been sentenced to life in prison for first degree injury to an elderly person. The surgeon’s attorneys argued he wasn’t a criminal, just a lousy surgeon, a reflection on the regulatory agencies and boards licensing and regulating such surgeons.

You have the opportunity to nominate a TCA member for consideration to receive the Keeler Plaque. Nominations for the 2017 Keeler Plaque are due by May 17. The Keeler Plaque is the TCA's award designating the Chiropractor of the Year in Texas.

Gov. Greg Abbott has praised the Texas Senate’s passage of a resolution calling for an Article V Convention of States. An Article V Convention is a Convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution when called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures.

This award is for those who are under 40 years of age, or fewer than 10 years in chiropractic practice at the time of the award’s receipt. Deadline for nominations for the 2017 Young Chiropractor of the Year is May 17.

MARCH CALENDAR

Despite being only 43 percent effective against influenza A viruses, the CDC states that influenza vaccination reduced the risk for outpatient medical visits by almost half.

House Republicans unveiled a rough sketch of a massive health care overhaul at a closed-door meeting in the Capitol basement. It features a revamped Medicaid program for the poor, tax breaks to help people pay doctors’ bills and federally subsidized state pools to assist those with costly medical conditions in buying insurance.

In Washington, D.C., a congressional committee has voted to impose a nationwide cap on medical malpractice "pain and suffering damages." Robert Kennedy Jr. reports that plans for a vaccine safety commission continue in play. By 2025, nearly 20 percent of of the total U.S. economy will be for "health spending." Recent changes in administrative implementation of rules at the IRS means the Obamacare insurance mandate and penalty are effectively dead. The nominee for head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Seema Verma, concurs with many physicians about electronic health record (EHR) systems.

Not only have physicians had their judgment swayed by the pharmaceutical industry, but 83 percent of patient advocacy groups have as well.

H.R. 302 ensures that sports health professionals who contract with a team are covered by their medical liability insurance while traveling with their team. Urge members of the U.S. Senate to immediately voice support for H.R. 302, pass the bill and send the bill to the president for enactment.

The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act, H.R. 372, is legislation designed to restore the application of federal antitrust and competition laws to the business of health insurance. Urge members of congress in Washington to co-sponsor H.R. 372.

An overwhelming majority of America’s eligible veterans continue to be denied access to chiropractic care, because access to the services provided by doctors of chiropractic is often times non-existent at nearly 100 additional major VA treatment facilities. Urge members of congress in Washington to co-sponsor H.R. 103.

A resource that researches and rates evidence, compiles it in a summary document for the chiropractic profession and other related stakeholders.

Do not automatically rule out stroke and other vascular insults in young children presenting with headache.

Using the acronym POLITE can help remind the practitioner of the things to cover when planning rehabilitation.

A diet that mimics sporadic fasting may reduce body weight and total body fat and improve metabolic markers.

Successful people have the courage to make decisions.

A well-designed website helps everyone. Learn some pointers for building a winning website.

Here are some thoughts on preventing and dealing with ransomware attacks.

Why you should think like a healthcare consumer.

Roy Moore, DC, passed away March 7 in Burnet. Funeral services are Friday, March 10.