President's Article December 2020

As 2020 comes to a close we have the opportunity to reflect back on the last year.  We reflect on how Covid-19 has affected our practices, the civil unrest in our state and nation, the turmoil associated with the presidential election, etc. and we choose to be thankful that we could keep our practices open as we were deemed essential workers, we have spent more time with our families, we have been able to have a job where we can help people stay healthy at a time when many are fearful, depressed and anxious about these unprecedented times we are living in.

The MCA Board of Directors, committee leaders and staff were successful in getting Doctors of Chiropractic listed among essential healthcare workers! They also posted important information regarding Covid-19 on the MCA website so Doctors of Chiropractic would have access to the information they needed to keep their office open and their patients and staff safe.  It is important to remember that the Board of Directors and committee leaders are all volunteers!  They should be commended for their hard work and many hours they put in to help their colleagues and profession.

The following items have been addressed by the MCA on your behalf in recent months:

• Reduced and restructured membership dues. (Complete)
• Established a new member forum to replace the list serve. (In progress)
• Created “Communities of Practice” mastermind groups for like-minded Drs. to discuss, share knowledge and develop camaraderie. (In progress)
• Expanded our professional development library for your continuing education needs. (Complete)
• The MCA’s ongoing relationship with Secure Care has resulted in 50% of Blue Cross Blue Shield provider offices in Minnesota to move up a Tier level (14% increased reimbursement).  Also Tiers have been reduced from 5 to 3 with a full 90% of provider offices in Tier 1 and 2.

We’re also making strategic plans to communicate more effectively with the profession to keep you informed of MCA events, membership benefits, legislative advocacy and other useful information that the profession needs to know.

We are looking forward to 2021 and will strive to continue to seek and develop new membership benefits such as an Association health insurance plan (please respond to the current survey during the month of December regarding this), improved website functionality making it easy find the information you need to make donations, pay your dues, register for continuing education, review the frequently asked questions page, etc.

We thank you for your membership and as always if you know someone who is not a member of the MCA please take the time to talk with them and ask them to become a member of their State Association.  The more members we have the easier it will be to accomplish our goals and help promote the Chiropractic profession in the State of Minnesota.

Have a Blessed holiday season!

Vincent Pankonin DC, President
Minnesota Chiropractic Association

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Legislative Update

Kevin Goodno
Chair, Government Relations Practice
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

The 2021 Minnesota legislative session will be heavily influenced by the pandemic in the way the legislature operates and in the legislature’s focus. With the 2020 state elections behind us, Minnesota remains the only “bi-partisan” or “divided” legislature in the country with Republicans maintaining control of the Senate, and the DFL maintaining control of the House.

Both the House and Senate have increased the number of legislative committees for a more streamlined approach to remote legislating. The House is preparing for a “remote” session, while the Senate has hopes of shifting to in-person committee meetings as the COVID-19 surge lessens. The 2021 session will be known for the use of Zoom and for fewer face-to-face interactions. This is why it is imperative for you to engage your legislators during the legislative session about issues that will impact you.

The focus of this session will be on reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic through relief efforts, vaccine distribution, and other pandemic related issues. Additionally, the legislature must set the state’s budget for the next two-year period (2022-23 biennium). In doing so, the legislature must address a projected $1.273 billion pandemic induced budget shortfall. In the past, Republicans have focused on spending cuts and the DFL a blend of revenue raisers and spending cuts to address budget deficits. The current forecast is volatile and assumes high COVID-19 infection rates until vaccines are widely available in mid-2021. The forecast could get better or worse depending on how accurate those assumptions are. In a nutshell, the 2021 legislative session will be remote, crisis-focused, and volatile. And, your involvement will be more vital than ever.

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Congratulations to MCA’s 2020 Award Winners!

The Minnesota Chiropractic Association is proud to recognize our 2020 award winners. Please join us in celebrating their accomplishments and contributions to the chiropractic profession. While we are unable to recognize our award winners in person at this time, we are looking forward to the time when we can gather in person at an upcoming awards gala to present the awards.

Dr. Sara Cuperus - Chiropractor of the Year

This award is presented on the basis of:

1. Current member of MCA in good standing
2. Outstanding service to the profession and MCA, with emphasis on the immediate year
3. Community service record
4. Particular service to the state or nation print page contact us sign in register

Dr. Brad Finer - Outstanding Educator Award

This award is presented on the basis of:

1. Current member of MCA in good standing
2. Unselfish dedication to the advancement of Chiropractic through education.

Dr. Scott A. Mooring - John Allenburg Meritorious Award

This award is presented on the basis of:

1. For continued service and dedication to the Chiropractic profession through academic and political leadership; both regional and national
2. Commitment to the growth and development of Chiropractic

Dr. Adam Millsop - Sports Chiropractor of the Year

This award is presented on the basis of:

• MCA Sports Council member in good standing
• CCSP (or equivalent)
• An active member of the MCA Sports Council
• Demonstrates ongoing support of sports chiropractic
• Maintains community involvement
• Exemplifies high professional standards
• Making a notable impact in the field of sports

Young Practitioner Meritorious Service Award Recipients:

• Central - Dr. Samantha Shand
• Metrowest - Dr. Rohin Sachdeva
• Metroeast - Dr. Jordan Knowlton-Key

This award is selected at the District Level and presented on the basis of:

• Less than ten (10) years in practice and MCA continuous membership.
• Outstanding contributions to the Association and the profession.
• Notable civic accomplishments.

Debbie Peterson - Claudius Galen Award

• This is a special award given to recipients outside of the profession who have made definite contributions to Chiropractic.

25-Year Meritorious Service Award Recipients:

• Dr. Lisa Hellerud
• Dr. Richard Saggau
• Dr. Scott Sammon

This award is presented on the basis of:

• Twenty-five (25) years of practice in chiropractic and MCA membership.
• Outstanding contributions to the Association and the profession.
• Outstanding civic accomplishments
• Education contributions.

Champions of Chiropractic Award

Selected by unanimous consent of the Board of Directors and is presented on the basis of:  

1. Outstanding service to MCA and the profession in the accomplishment of a major initiative
2. Significant ongoing support of MCA goals and objectives

• Lou Andersen
• Rand Petersen, DC
• Bill Bruening, DC
• Mark Knoll, DC
• Ann Bruns
• Brad Cost
• RT Donahue, DC
• Janet Benton
• Christian Kollar, DC
• Nicolas Mellum, DC
• Christopher Jo, DC
• Richard Hueffmeier, DC
• Douglas Broman, DC
• Scott Mooring, DC

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MCA Member Forum Launched

MCA recently launched a new member forum.  This will replace the old listserv with a new tool that will make it much easier to track, search, and access shared files.  If you have visited the new MCA forum recently, you probably noticed that it is still in its initial development stages.  We will be working to grow the new MCA forum into a valuable tool for our community. Please note: the MCA listserv will be discontinued as of December 31, 2020. Click here to engage with the new member forum discussion board /member-forum/ (you will need to sign in the webpage to access the forum).

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The BEAR procedure for ACL Knee Injuries

In this 2-hour webinar, the BEAR presentation will discuss ACL tears. We will also cover orthopedic tests for suspected ACL injuries. Various options for repair of an ACL will be mentioned.

Register Now

Learning Objectives:

• Use of various orthopedic tests for determining tears of the ACL
• Current Medical Treatment for tears of the ACL.
• Discuss a relatively new method for ACAL repair

2.0 Regular Credits - Approval Pending

Speaker: Tom Hyde