SENATE BILL REPORT
HB 2501
As Reported By Senate Committee On:
Health & Long‑Term Care, February 28, 2002
Title: An act relating to chiropractic care.
Brief Description: Modifying provisions concerning chiropractics.
Sponsors: Representatives Campbell, Cody, Ruderman, Linville, Armstrong, Conway, Darneille, Bush, Kirby, Miloscia, Simpson, Dunn and Casada.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Health & Long‑Term Care: 2/27/02, 2/28/02 [DPA].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG‑TERM CARE
Majority Report: Do pass as amended.
Signed by Senators Thibaudeau, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Costa, Deccio, Fraser and Winsley.
Staff: Tanya Karwaki (786‑7447)
Background: Chiropractic care includes the use of spinal adjustments, among other procedures and services. It also includes dietary advice and recommendation of nutritional supplementation, except for medicines of herbal, animal, or botanical origin.
Under current law, manipulation of an extremity is complementary and preparatory to a spinal adjustment. It is considered a part of a spinal adjustment and may not be billed separately from, or in addition to, a spinal adjustment.
Summary of Amended Bill: The exclusion of medicines of herbal, animal, or botanical origins is removed from the chiropractic treatment of dietary advice and recommendation of nutritional supplementation. The bill also removes the requirement that an extremity manipulation be complementary and preparatory to a spinal adjustment.
Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill: The amendment clarifies that chiropractics may perform extremity manipulations separately from spinal manipulations.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on March 1, 2002.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Chiropractics do not want to prescribe drugs; they simply want to be able to give complete dietary and nutritional supplementation advice. Often chiropractics do not need to manipulate the spine in order to manipulate an extremity. The current law that requires an extremity manipulation to be part of a spinal manipulation places an artificial constraint on chiropractics. This bill will eliminate unnecessary procedures. This bill will also allow patients to receive educated advice regarding nutritional supplements. It is in the best interests of public safety.
Testimony Against: This bill would allow for a major expansion of chiropractics' scope of practice. It is unclear what training chiropractics have to recommend medicines. Moreover, it is difficult to understand what the bill does. Carriers oppose the bill because it will increase the cost of care without improving the quality of care.
Testified: Representative Campbell, prime sponsor (pro); Lori Bielinski, Washington State Chiropractic Association (pro); Clay Barness, Washington State Chiropractic Association (pro); Doug Long, Washington State Chiropractic Association (pro); Mike Kinneau, Washington State Chiropractic Association (pro); Bruce Frickelton, Washington State Chiropractic Association (pro); Carl Nelson, Washington State Medical Association (con); Ken Bertrand, Group Health (con); Nancee Wildermuth, Premera Regence/Pacificare (con).