The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has been engaged with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and its third-party administrators, including TriWest Healthcare Alliance, to address concerns raised by doctors of chiropractic (DCs) regarding participation in the VA Community Care Network (CCN).
Members practicing in Regions 4 and 5 identified challenges in contracting requirements that were seemingly not applied to other provider types in the same regions and were inconsistent with contracting requirements for DCs in VA CCN Regions 1-3. These requirements included the imposition of contracting fees and the expectation that DCs accept additional ancillary contracts as a condition of participation in the CCN—both of which created barriers to participation and raised concerns about fairness and access.
In response to member feedback, ACA engaged directly with VA and contractor leadership to seek clarification and advocate for changes that would support equitable participation.
Following these discussions, ACA has been informed of the following updates:
Reassessment of contracting fees for DCs participating in the CCN in Regions 4 and 5 to remove financial barriers for provider participation in the network.
Ability for DCs to contract directly for participation in the CCN without being required to enter into additional ancillary agreements.
According to the ACA, these changes represent a meaningful step toward more consistent and equitable contracting processes across regions. Reducing administrative and financial barriers and unfavorable contracting requirements supports provider participation and helps improve access to chiropractic care for veterans in impacted areas. As these changes are implemented, providers should carefully review contract materials to confirm they are participating only in the network(s) of their choosing.
“I am grateful to the members who brought this issue forward,” commented ACA President Kris Anderson, DC. “ACA has a great team of experts, and I am pleased that we engaged in these discussions to advocate on behalf of the profession and for the veterans we serve.”
For more information, visit www.acatoday.org.
