Concerns Over Colorado Board's Proposed Rule Changes

The Colorado Board of Chiropractic is holding a public hearing April 30, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. According to a notice from the Board this is a Stakeholder Meeting To Receive Input Regarding Revisions to Rules ​ ​1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, and Rule 30 (new rule). In a release sent out from the Board they stated: We need your help to identify how these changes might affect consumer outcomes, positive or negative. The Board will use your feedback to assess if changes to the proposed rules are needed.

CLICK HERE to Review the notice

Colorado is no stranger to controversy when it comes to attempted changes in rules and laws related to chiropractic by the allopathically oriented faction of the profession that is attempting to infringe on the practice of medicine, so chiropractors in Colorado have been watching the actions of the Board very closely.

CLICK HERE for more on Scope Expansion Efforts in Colorado

State regulatory boards often use changes or additions to Board rules or policies as a way to get around changing the statute. When they can't change the statute they may attempt to get the same effect by changing or adopting Board rules and policies.

This concerns is heightened in Colorado ever since the outspoken subluxation denier and chiropractic drug pusher Michael Simone DC was put on the board.

Given Simone's penchant for attacking chiropractors who focus on the management of vertebral subluxation the Board is being watched closely for any hint that changes are being made by active market players on the board that interfere with the rights of chiropractors to care for their patients and the rights of patients to seek care from the chiropractor of their choice.

CLICK HERE for more on Simone

Some of the most concerning changes being proposed include rules related to research, pre-pay plans, and open adjusting areas. One item not on the Board's agenda that chiropractors will be addressing is the Board's "CCE Only language".

Concerned chiropractors have expressed that the wording of the rule about research is vague and should be made clearer. This type of rule is typically used by folks like Simone against chiropractors focusing on the management of vertebral subluxation by suggesting there is no research to support it.

The adoption of pre-pay rules is felt to interfere with the rights of the doctor and patient to contract freely and given the fact that most care directed at vertebral subluxation is not reimbursed by insurance companies the concern is that this rule is being used to marginalize chiropractors who practice in this fashion.

This concern is highlighted by the addition of Simone on the Colorado Board who is on record making unscientific statements about the vertebral subluxation and derogatory comments about chiropractors who manage it.

The Board's concern about patients being offered a private room mirrors several efforts in the US and in other countries to go after subluxation centered chiropractors for their use of open adjusting rooms similar to what dentists, orthopedists, physical therapists and other health care providers do.

Since this issue is already addressed in Federal HIPAA related laws there is simply no need for such a rule other than to further harass certain classes of chiropractors.

If the Colorado Board were truly interested in modernizing they would remove any and all "CCE Only" language. "CCE Only" language refers to the language in most states that restrict the licensing and practice of chiropractic only to those who graduate from a school accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE).

CCE Only language was systematically added to statutes, rules and regulations in the United States following the CCE's recognition by the US Department of Education in the 70's.

It is well documented that after the CCE was granted recognition, the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Board's (FCLB) began a systematic effort to adopt CCE Only language in order to further the control of the profession by a Cartel operating within the profession and enjoying a monopoly on the education and licensing functions of the entire profession.

Given that this, in and of itself, is a restraint of trade and that its also outdated given how much the chiropractic educational system has changed since the 70's, many feel the removal of this language should be a priority in any chiropractic legislative and legal agenda.

The following language has been proposed:

"Each applicant shall be a graduate of a chiropractic school, college or program accredited by an accrediting agency either recognized by the US Secretary of Education; or board approved chiropractic school, college or program. For those graduating from chiropractic program outside the United States the applicant must have completed an educational program leading to a degree in chiropractic from an institution authorized to operate by the government having jurisdiction in which it is domiciled."

The problem is that the Chiropractic Cartel has full and complete control over the majority of regulatory boards in the US and has little interest in giving up any of that control.

CLICK HERE for more on the Chiropractic Cartel