Chiropractic + Wellness

In the past few years, in acknowledgement of the many health benefits chiropractic care provides, a permanent chiropractic care benefit was established for both active duty military personnel and veterans. Currently, there are doctors of chiropractic, or DCs, at 60 military bases around the nation, nevertheless, according to a 2005 Government Accountability Office report, solely 54 percent of men and women in active service have reasonably been recognized as eligible for accessing their benefit and receiving chiropractic treatment. Although many chiropractic services have become available to many military service personnel and veterans, it still remains a necessity to further increase chiropractic access, contribution, and availability for the individuals that most need it.

When it comes to these services though, chiropractic care is actually part of the common medical benefits package available to all veterans. As a result, Veterans Affairs should provide a proper availability of these services to veterans by having an on-site chiropractic clinic, and by sending veterans to a private chiropractor using the “fee-basis” approach, where the VA pays the bill.

For over 10 years, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress has included chiropractic services provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, as part of the approved medical benefits package offered to all enrolled veterans. A recent study organized by researchers from the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, the handling of chiropractic services and the chiropractic workforce in VA has grown significantly since their introduction over a decade ago. The yearly number of chiropractic visits has expanded by nearly 700 percent, hence showing an increase in veteran’s access to chiropractic care.

The lead author of the study, Anthony J. Lisi, DC, Director of the VA Chiropractic Program and Chiropractic Section Chief at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System made a statement on the progressive and significant increase of chiropractic service utilization by the VA each year after its introduction in late 2004. Additionally, as stated by Anthony J. Lisi, Veterans Affairs’ chiropractic care includes evidence-based medicine and patient-centered care, among other treatment options which are highly requested by veterans and referring providers. 

Throughout the numerous findings among an 11-year period, the study concluded that the number of individuals treated in Veterans Affairs clinics increased by 821 percent in a year, the number of chiropractic visits expanded by 693 percent in a year, the total number of VA chiropractic clinics escalated 9 percent in a year as well as the number of chiropractic employees, increasing by 21 percent in a year. Finally, the study also confirmed that the average VA chiropractic patient is male, between the ages of 45 and 64, and generally receives diagnosis, chiropractic spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, as well as other health care services focused on low back and/or neck injuries or conditions.