Chiro Texpo ’17 is in the rear view mirror, and it was truly a first-class event. I want to thank everyone who made TCA's convention a resounding success. Enthusiasm filled the air as doctors celebrated the many successes of the 85^th Texas Legislative Session. It also marked the transition to TCA’s new leadership team. I am thrilled to be your new TCA President and honored to serve with Vice President Dr. Devin Pettiet and Secretary/Treasurer Dr. Chad Carpenter. Our collective goal is "follow-through," and we will work very hard to continue the momentum we have created together.

The Texas Chiropractic Association (TCA) recognized some of the state’s top doctors of chiropractic at its annual Awards Gala and Celebration at Chiro Texpo ’17 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. See who received award recognition.

Chiro Texpo ’17 wasn’t just a celebration of the past year in Texas chiropractic, but it also represented a change in leadership. TCA installed its three executive officers. Max Vige, DC, of League City is the new TCA president, succeeding Tyce Hergert, DC, of Grapevine. Devin Pettiet, DC, of Tomball was appointed as vice president, while Chad Carpenter, DC, of Boerne was named secretary/treasurer.

The 85th Texas Legislative Session was TCA’s most successful in decades, but it required help from a few friends at the State Capitol. Among them was Sen. Van Taylor of Plano, who was instrumental in the passage of SB 304, known as the Sunset/Diagnosis bill. At Chiro Texpo ’17, TCA honored Sen. Taylor with its prestigious Legislator of the Year award. 

In a few short years, the Chiro Cup has become one of the most popular activities at Chiro Texpo. Created to be a friendly competition between the two Texas chiropractic colleges, teams from Parker University and Texas Chiropractic College competed in front of a boisterous crowd of alumni, students, faculty, administrators and other conference attendees for the the third annual Cup. Not as close as the first two, both of which were decided on the final question, Parker prevailed this time, but TCC competed hard. Find out more about this year's Cup!

Chiro Texpo ’17 was an awesome experience! If you missed this year’s celebration of a legislative session that unified and advanced the profession; if you missed the energy, venue, celebrations, fun, games and food... then you missed a milestone of chiropractic history in Texas. Chiro Texpo offered a time for "a victory lap, a moment for Texas chiropractors to celebrate what we’ve accomplished."

Support the ongoing battle for chiropractic in Texas and earn valuable continuing education hours at an upcoming seminar sponsored by TCA Gold Sponsor Foot Levelers. The Foot Levelers Extremities Seminar Benefiting the Fight for Chiropractic in Texas is Sept. 16-17 at Parker University in Dallas.

Texas’ 85^th Legislative Session came to an end on May 29. While 6,631 bills were filed this session, only 1,211 bills passed. TCA actively pursued six pieces of legislation, three of which were passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott. TCA also worked with Sen. Judith Zaffirini, Sen. Bryan Hughes and Rep. J.D. Sheffield to amend SB 55 (authorizing a study on establishing a patient-reported outcomes registry for musculoskeletal care provided in the ERS and TRS systems) to include chiropractic colleges.

JUNE CALENDAR

A committee of the Wisconsin Legislature has approved a provision that would require the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to study best practices in state Medicaid programs using chiropractic and other physical medicine treatments to reduce OTC and prescription medication use.

With the ever growing corporatization of this era, fewer than half of practicing physicians in the U.S. owned their medical practice in 2016. According to a new study, this marks the first time that the majority of physicians are not practice owners.

The government has issued new ABN forms. You must use the new form effective June 21, 2017.

Recently passed Sunset Legislation, SB 304, extends the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners for 12 more years and amends certain laws in the Chiropractic Act. Please read the following three important messages regarding these changes, effective on or after Sept 1, 2017.

It’s no secret that this year has seen a most aggressive assault on the chiropractic profession in Texas. The stakes could scarcely have been higher. Losing would have left the profession hamstrung for a generation, but Texas state legislators gave overwhelming support to bills preserving and protecting the rights of our profession. But the battle is not over. There is still a civil suit by the Texas Medical Association challenging the right of chiropractors to evaluate and treat neurological conditions (including subluxations). So the battlefield moves from the statehouse to the courtroom. I encourage you to support the ongoing court battle by donating to the Chiropractic Development Initiative (CDI) at www.chirotexas.org/CDI.

Did you know some 163.9 million Americans suffer back pain. Of these, 95.1 million will seek healthcare. With over 70 percent of these treated by medical physician, 23.8 million saw their symptoms resolved, 23.8 million saw their symptoms unchanged, and over 38 million saw their symptoms worsen. Did you know that 68.8 million Americans who suffer back pain go without treatment?

Current evidence suggests that spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is effective in the treatment of people with low back pain (LBP). The authors of this study concluded that inhibition of temporal summation was observed in participants receiving SMT suggesting a modulation of dorsal horn excitability.

After two years of followup, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy was no better than sham surgery for patients with degenerative medial meniscal tears and no evidence of knee osteoarthritis.

The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) announces the launch of A Guide to Local Marketing Success. This guidebook delivers our doctor members the tools and techniques needed to utilize the F4CP material and achieve positive press in the local area.