Organized Medicine Attempts To Deny
Chiropractors Right To Diagnose in Texas

This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:     Frankp@chiro.org

FROM:   A Chiro.Org Editorial ~ 2-04-2010

By Frank M. Painter, D.C.

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The AMA has joined the TMA (Texas Medical Association) in trying to challenge Texas chiropractor's "right" to diagnose. They are doing this under the guise of trying to halt expansions of the scope of practice of various alternative pratitioners. The AMA News web site currently brags that they are involved in fighting more than 300 scope-increasing bills around the country.

The TMA asserts that “Under Texas law, only physicians can diagnose medical conditions.” The TMA relies on the fact that the Texas Chiropractic Act, instead of using the term “diagnose,” uses the terms “analyze, examine, or evaluate the biomechanical condition of the spine and musculoskeletal system of the human body.”

The TMA’s hypertechnical reading of the word “diagnose” ignores the fact that the term has synonyms and that to “analyze, examine, or evaluate” is synonymous with “diagnose.” If they are successful, rule changes would make it impossible for a DC to treat patients, or at least to bill Insurers, bacause they could not fill in the diagnosis (Box 21) of the HCFA form.

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This situation reminds me of this quote by Pastor Martin Niemotlier:

When the Nazis came for the Communists,
I remained silent; I was not a Communist.

When they locked up the Social Democrats,
I remained silent; I was not a Social Democrat.

When they came for the Trade Unionists,
I did not speak out; I was not a Trade Unionist.

When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I wasn't a Jew.

When they finally came for me, there was no one left to speak out.

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Let's hope the profession rallies around this attack.

Nobody likes becoming a statistic.

You may also want to read the follow-up piece titled:
Live and Let Live? ~ on March 24th, 2010

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Since 2-04-2010