By Dr. Andreas Skounakis, ANJC BOD President

Dear ANJC Members & Colleagues,

As we welcome 2024 and the ANJC’s 20th Anniversary, I want to take this opportunity to provide updates on the progress of the ANJC. The ANJC Board of Directors, Committee Members, and Staff are continuing the aggressive pushback on behalf of our members on multiple challenges our doctors face. We are working together to build a strategy focused on projects and initiatives to drive increased revenue for chiropractors practicing in our state. Through our reinvigorated committees, including Legislative, Insurance, Legal, Finance, Membership, Continuing Education, Association Development, and Board Governance, both board members as well as association members are meeting regularly to discuss, strategize, research, prioritize, and develop plans and tools so our colleagues can practice their profession, which they love, and be fairly compensated.

I understand there is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion about the current focus of our committees. At this point, I cannot share details due to the sensitivity of the strategies and discussions that occur daily; I would like to provide some insight into how two of our committees are working to position the ANJC and our members for success on every level.

The Legislative Committee, led by ANJC BOD Vice-President Dr. Victor Rossi, has created a plan to rebuild relationships with legislators and policymakers working from conversations held since the fall of 2023. The goal is to ensure our association is represented throughout the state, leveraging the re-kindled relationships our members have within their communities with local leaders and state representatives. It’s crucial to our profession that the ANJC is seen as a collaborative, professional, and strong voice for the entire healthcare industry.

Our Insurance Committee, led by ANJC Board Member Dr. Tom D’Elia and ANJC Director of Insurance & Government Affairs, Dina Brown, is utilizing our team of consultants to unravel a range of issues that have affected us for years, including the State Health Benefits $35 cap (and WHY it has been present since 2016), third-party re-pricing, Out-of-Network reimbursement as well as the daily challenges facing our colleagues in day-to-day operations. I can assure you payment parity for chiropractors is a consistent focus and discussion topic with legislators and leadership within our state.

I want to remind everyone that if any member has a question, feedback, issue to address, etc., I encourage you to schedule a call with Dina, which you can do right through her calendar. While we/she may not have all the answers, Dina will bring questions to the attention of the Insurance Committee and provide insight and updates as appropriate.

All members of the ANJC Board and Committees are volunteers. We/they are each taking time away from their practice, family, and friends, and sharing their experiences and expertise to ensure their colleagues can continue providing quality patient care. We urge our members to get involved with our efforts.

If you can donate an hour of your time each month, please contact me at drskounakis@anjc.info. Your voice and input will be utilized and appreciated.

Lastly, I would like to recognize and bid farewell to Dr. Joe D’Angiolillo, Dr. Richard Healy, and Dr. Dan Fuzer. These remarkable individuals have dedicated their time, energy, and expertise to our association. As we express our gratitude, we also recognize the invaluable contributions of these board members who are now stepping off.

Their unwavering commitment, leadership, and passion have left an indelible mark on our association.

Sincerely,

Dr. Andreas Skounakis
ANJC BOD President