On Sept. 10, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve a plan to restore chiropractic services at more than a dozen U.S. military bases where services have been arbitrarily discontinued. The action is consistent with the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) ongoing concern over the use of opioids by active-duty members of the military and calls to make non-addictive alternatives for pain management more readily available to military personnel.
The amendment was introduced by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL). It reflects upon the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 106-398), which in 2001 established the original chiropractic benefit in the Department of Defense health care system.
The Steube amendment responds to chiropractic clinic closures over the past year caused by contracts with participating doctors of chiropractic being allowed to elapse. It calls on DHA to develop a plan to reopen closed clinics and to explore the feasibility of putting chiropractors stationed at military facilities in the federal General Schedule (GS) system. The amendment also directs DHA to report back to the House and Senate on its progress by March 31, 2026.
Surveys show chiropractic services are highly valued at U.S. military facilities. Reports show that these clinics provide proven, cost-effective care to hundreds of patients monthly, offering a range of non-drug services to address painful musculoskeletal conditions commonly experienced by members of the military and enabling them to return to service.
“We thank Rep. Steube for his foresight to tackle this issue and we also acknowledge House Armed Services Committee Chair Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) for his long-standing support of chiropractic in the military,” said John Falardeau, American Chiropractic Association (ACA) senior vice president of public policy and advocacy.
A four-year clinical trial conducted at several military sites—the largest chiropractic clinical trial on record—showed evidence that chiropractic care, when added to usual medical care, resulted in moderate short-term improvements in low back pain intensity in active-duty personnel. The results of the trial, published in 2018 by JAMA Network Open, served as additional support for the inclusion of chiropractic services as a component of multidisciplinary health care for back pain, as currently recommended by existing guidelines.
The Steube amendment was made part of the larger National Defense Authorization Act, which now goes to the Senate for consideration. ACA said that it will be working with senators to ensure the provision remains in the final defense package.
For more information, visit www.acatoday.org.
