IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, or had forgotten since the pandemic took center stage over the past few years, there’s actually great things happening for chiropractors to give hope for the future! One of which happened in 2018, when President Trump signed a bill expanding Chiropractic’s role in the VA.
Celebrating this great victory for Chiropractic, TAC contributor Dr. Eric Kaplan shares with us his personal meeting alongside long time business partner Dr. Perry Bard with 45th President Donald Trump to acknowledge this historical achievement for our veterans and the Chiropractic profession.
ON NOV. 3RD, 2021, HISTORY WAS MADE for the Chiropractic profession.
For the first time, a Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to a president of the United States in person by a chiropractor.
This represented all the work achieved toward access to medical and Chiropractic services in our veterans’ centers nationwide. History was made during our evening with our 45th president, Donald Trump. The meeting was held at Mar-a-Lago, a luxurious high-end members only private club in Palm Beach, Florida, which is considered a national historic landmark with an impressive historical significance to the American federal government. This evening, Dr. Perry Bard, my best friend and business partner of 35 years, my son, Dr. Michael Kaplan, and I spent forty-five minutes with the president. He lives at Mar-a-Lago and has a private office there. His office site was spectacular; it was like being in the Oval Office. During his term, this was called the Winter White House.
First and foremost, this is not a political article unless you consider Chiropractic political. Approximately 25 years ago, while still in practice, I was introduced to the Trump family. Before you pass any judgment, let me tell you two things. First, when patients came into my office, I never asked if they were Republican or Democrat. I asked if they were cash or check. Second, I am proud of his knowledge and appreciation of Chiropractic. I am proud to have worked with him professionally over the years. His endorsement sits at the top of my first book, Lifestyles of the Fit and Famous. This evening, he endorsed Chiropractic. Never in the history of Chiropractic has a president of our country acknowledged our profession publicly.
Everything, including this evening, has a backstory, a past that it carries with it. The chair you’re sitting in was most likely a tall tree from some unknown wilderness. Years ago, the feather pillow you sleep on was part of a duck or a goose’s body. When you sit in your chair, you probably don’t think about the tree, and when you fall asleep, you probably don’t think about the duck or goose. But have you ever considered how each of them came to be the way they are today? For the record, when I first met Donald Trump, he was not a politician. He needed a chiropractor for the family. President Trump was at that time a Democrat. I met him through Thomas McMillan. Tom was a former NBA player who later served three terms in Congress as a Democrat.
What a ride my life has been. Imagine, Fve dined with three Presidents of the United States. I served as an advisor to The President’s Council on Sports & Physical Fitness for Bill Clinton, for which I was featured in the USA Today newspaper. Fve met with two surgeon generals of the United States, C. Everett Koop and Dr. Jocelyn Elders. However, this night was special.
On this evening, we were there to present the President with a Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the International Medical Advisory Board on Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, The International Disc Education Association, and Disc Centers of America.
It was our goal to thank the President for all he has done for the Chiropractic profession. No President, no politician, has ever done more for the profession of Chiropractic than President Trump. It was President Trump who signed the Consolidated Appropriations Bill of 2018, which provided Chiropractic access for all veterans and veterans hospitals throughout the United States.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (the omnibus bill) passed by Congress and signed by President Trump expands access to chiropractic’s non-drug approach to pain relief for veterans, many of whom suffer from back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions.
The approved language requires the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to expand the availability of chiropractic services at no fewer than two medical centers or clinics in each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) no later than Dec. 31, 2019, and at no fewer than 50 percent of all medical centers in each VISN by Dec. 31, 2021. The measure also, for the first time, codifies and broadens chiropractic services in the VA to include services provided by Doctors of Chiropractic under the Preventive Health Services and Medical categories-in addition to existing coverage under Rehabilitative Services-placing chiropractors in service categories previously closed to them. Also, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at the National Institutes of Health received an increase in funding to just over $142 million.
President Trump also signed into law the Jobs for Our Heroes Act, which includes a provision allowing chiropractors working in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to perform physical exams on veterans needing a medical certificate to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
Prior to the legislation, only 25 medical doctors within the entire VA healthcare system were qualified to perform Department of Transportation (DOT) physical exams. Consequently, the drivers were burdened with limited access and increased wait times and were forced to look outside the VA and pay for eligible health professionals to perform required physicals. Thanks to President Trump, this has changed. Currently, providers in the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners to include more than 3,500 chiropractors—and the numbers are still growing. In the past, these chiropractors were excluded from providing exams to truck drivers who receive their care through the VA healthcare system.
President Trump acted for our profession. No president has stood up for our profession at this historic level. I am proud to have helped educate the president on our great profession. I am honored that Eve worked with him for 25 years and, on many occasions, spoke with him about the benefits of chiropractic care.
The fact remains that chiropractors are more than qualified for this updated role, but historically, we have not been allowed our rightful place in the healthcare industry. By increasing the number of health professionals, especially chiropractors, who may conduct the physical exams, the new law will ease the process and save time and money for veterans seeking commercial driver’s licenses. This is monumental for our profession and, hopefully, only the beginning.
Currently, thanks largely to President Trump, veterans now have access to chiropractic services at VA treatment facilities in the United States. This comes at a time when the need for drug-free options for musculoskeletal conditions is urgent. On this evening, we spoke of this with the president in detail. We discussed how we have been working with Dr. Norman Shealy, MD, and neurosurgeon. Dr. Shealy, one of my mentors, is a former Harvard Medical School professor; we teach his protocols in the national certification program. Dr. Shealy stated, ‘From day one, I knew back surgery was not the answer. ’ Dr. Shealy was impressed that the national certification program in non-surgical spinal decompression was sold out for the second year in a row. He was impressed that doctors from all over the United States were committed to spending their weekends learning how to help people prevent opioid addiction and back surgery. He endorsed Disc Centers of America, Dr. Bard and me, and the work we do.
As the evening progressed, we talked about so many things. This was not a short meeting. Throughout the evening, we discussed the many benefits of Chiropractic, the emergence of back surgery, and failed back surgery syndrome. We talked about the VA and thanked him for his work with veterans. My dad was a veteran; he had two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star as a ranger in World War II. The VA meant a lot to my dad and now means a lot to me. VA data cites ‘diseases of the musculoskeletal system/connective system,’ such as back pain, as the most common ailments experienced by veterans accessing VA treatment after returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover, surveys show that, as with the civilian population, many veterans struggle with prescription painkiller (opioid) addiction. Notably, numerous provisions in the 2,232 pages instruct government agencies to focus on non-opioid solutions for pain management. This is a great time and place for Chiropractic.
President Trump’s commitment to Chiropractic is monumental. That evening, we spoke about chiropractic care’s benefits. We spoke about how our Disc Centers of America locations and their doctors work tirelessly to educate the public on the avoidance of back surgery. The president was very interested and discussed how familiar he was with many people having so many joint replacements that it’s alarming. We discussed the severity of opioids and how the Chiropractic profession as a whole is dedicated to providing a drug-free solution to pain. This interested him. He was so appreciative we even got him to film a video for our profession.
“Trump stated, ‘Your profession (Chiropractic) is so important. I have great admiration for all of you.’”
A highlight of the evening was when he endorsed our profession. This and the entire video can be watched online at: www.President45Chiro.com or read the video transcription in the sidebar to the right.
I believe my partner and son saw a side of the president they’d never seen before. He was engaging and entertaining. His sense of humor is unique, and unfortunately, many people do not get to see this side of him. We discussed our families, and he even got Melania on the phone to talk to us. Our former first lady was very gracious, and the informality made for an exciting evening that surprised his staff.
We had to go through six Secret Service members before we met with the president—that was an education in itself. As we were leaving, we were literally out the door when the president ran after us because he wanted to provide us with some signed hats. It was exciting to see my latest book, CAN’T STOP ME, Going from Ordinary to Extraordinary, on his desk.
You may contact Dr. Eric Kaplan & Dr. Perry Bard at 888-990-9660, Visit www.TheChiroEvent.com. You can also e-mail: info@conciergecoaches. com
Mar-A-Lago, Palm Beach, Florida
Find the video at:
On Nov. 3rd, 2021, Our 45th President of The United States of America, PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP accepted an award on behalf of The International Medical Advisory Board on Spinal Decompression, The International DISC Education Association, all the Doctors that proudly represent DISC Centers of America, and lastly, Dr. Eric Kaplan and Dr. Perry Bard.
Dr. Eric Kaplan:
We are here today to say to you, Mr. President, Thank You.’ I am honored and humbled.
You and I have had a long-term relationship, over 20 plus years, and to me, it’s my honor and privilege with my partner, Dr. Bard, to provide you with a Lifetime Achievement Award. And this is from multiple organizations. From the International Medical Advisory Board on Spinal Decompression, of which we have doctors, chiropractors, and surgeons, all coming (this weekend), including The International Disc Education Association and Disc Centers of America. These are the leading group of doctors in America that try to offset people from having back surgery, as you and I were discussing.
The reason that we choose you, Mr. President, is because of what you did for the Chiropractic profession. No president in history has ever done that. What you have done for the veterans, no president in the history of our country has ever done for the VA. What you did with Warp Speed, no one has ever done.
The things that you have done for healthcare and for the average American.
For all Americans and for knowing you so long, it’s my honor and privilege to be with my best friend, Dr. Bard, and my son, and to say, “Thank You”, on behalf of all the Doctors attending this weekend.
President Trump:
Well, I want to thank you, Eric.
I have known Eric a long time.
And I can say this: ‘Doctor and Doctor.’
You are professionals, and I’ve known your career. I’ve probably known you for 25 years, through the world of beautiful clubs and beautiful everything else.
And it is true.
I’ve known so many people who have problems with their legs and their backs and all the different things. I guess I exercise so little that it hasn’t been bothering me (laughing).
We were talking about that (prior to), and I don’t want to give everyone that idea.
Maybe that’s one solution. Don’t exercise so much.
I was telling the doctors (prior to) that over the years I’ve had friends that were very serious exercisers, and a lot of them are getting knee replacements and they’re getting hip replacements.
So, I said I think I found the answer. Then, I know Gary Player, who just turned 86 years old yesterday.
He’s a good friend of mine.
He won 166 tournaments.
That’s a lot of tournaments.
That’s like winning every weekend.
He didn’t choke too much. I can tell you that.
But he’s one person who would exercise a lot, and he’s in perfect physical shape.
It’s incredible.
It’s a terrific thing.
What you’re doing is so important.
You are really incredible people.
Having you at our beautiful, brand-new ballroom, I hope you like it.
Having you at that place (Trump National Golf Club), at that course, and in that ballroom is very meaningful.
Especially since my friend (Dr. Kaplan) is there, and my friend is in charge.
We really appreciate it.
You guys have done a fantastic job, and getting this Lifetime Achievement Award is a tremendous honor.
Thank you both.
Your profession (Chiropractic) is so important.
I have great admiration for all of you.
And thank you for being at our beautiful Trump facility, but more importantly, thank you to you guys. You do a really fantastic job.
Thank you very much.
About the Authors
Dr. Eric Kaplan and Dr. Perry Bard, are business partners of over 35 years. They have developed Disc Centers of America & Concierge Coaches, as well as the first and largest National Certification Program for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression. Currently, they have over 150 clinics using their Disc Centers of America brand and lead ongoing success training events throughout the year.
