Public Policy
Every year more than 4 million Canadians seek the help of a chiropractor for relief from muscle, joint and spinal pain conditions such as repetitive strain injury, whiplash, sports injuries and home and workplace accidents - to name only a few of the causes of the $8 billion burden that back pain and related disorders puts on the shoulders of Canada’s health care system.
Helping people regain their quality of life and getting them back on their feet – at home, at work and at play – is the primary goal of Canada’s chiropractors. Keeping them on their feet and preventing disability from occurring in the first place is of equal importance. Canadian chiropractors are well qualified to do both.
Chiropractic care plays an important role in relieving the stresses and strains on our overburdened health care system. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of chiropractic care for musculoskeletal disorders. It’s often the most cost effective treatment for many common joint and muscle dysfunctions that keep Canadians off their feet.
Chiropractic care is covered extensively by third party payers. These include the federal public service, worker's compensation boards, the automobile insurance industry, private health care insurers, large employers, the RCMP, and Veteran's Affairs Canada. Chiropractic services are also partially funded by the provincial health plan of Manitoba.
We know how chiropractic care can help patients. Here’s how helping those patients helps Canada and the health care system:
- Costly back surgeries can often be avoided
- Ineffective and costly treatments are avoided
- Emergency room crowding can be reduced
- Medication costs are lowered
- People feel better more quickly
- Recurrent injury is prevented or minimized
- Productivity is improved
- Dysfunction is prevented
- Chronic care costs are minimized
- Workers are back on the job quicker
To get the best benefit for the health care system from chiropractic, we need policies and practices that:
- Remove barriers to inter-professional referrals so Canadians can get the most appropriate care from the best qualified provider at the lowest cost in a timely manner;
- Improve the Canada Health Act to incorporate chiropractic care;
- Encourage health care providers to work in inter-disciplinary teams;
- Encourage inter-disciplinary research;
- Facilitate inter-disciplinary education and understanding.
It’s not about money. It’s about working together in the best interests of all Canadians. It’s about putting patients first.
Chiropractic. Here to help.