In this interview, Jeff Langmaid talks with a chiropractic leader (Speaker B) about revitalizing the profession by addressing two core challenges: the crushing student‑loan debt that deters prospective chiropractors and the resulting malaise among current practitioners. Speaker B envisions a future where chiropractic education is affordable, restoring the field’s historic appeal and excitement. The conversation then shifts to the strategic role of the CAIRO Congress, describing how it provides apolitical administrative oversight, unites state associations, and serves as a natural hub for collaborative growth without encroaching on other organizations’ initiatives. Finally, they discuss government‑affairs priorities, emphasizing the push for payment parity, Medicare reform, and alignment with broader national health initiatives such as “Make America Healthy Again,” while acknowledging the profession’s limited capacity to drive legislation and its focus on supporting policy changes. The interview closes with a brief invitation to explore more content.
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if you could paint your vision of what you would love to see within how chiropractic fits in within the larger healthcare space and independently as well, what would you love to see come to fruition?
I'd like to see an affordable education process where students are not coming out with massive student loan debt. I'd like to see us rise back to the top of being an attractive profession because it is an affordable education opportunity. I think we're treading on some very thin ice on the expenses. I'd like to see some of the old vibe back 40 years ago where people are actually really super excited about being chiropractors. I've kind of noticed a little bit of a malaise that's there. That's not just— that's not me, that's on others. I'm super excited about being a chiropractor, and if I can sprinkle a little bit of that around, I just like people to rise up to the top and change lives through chiropractic.
I like it. You mentioned CAIRO Congress a few times. How does the strategic plan and CAIRO Congress interface or not interface? Are they together? Are they separate? Is there overlap? Let's talk a little bit about that.
Well, CAIRO, we needed a place to, to be housed. And because we were at a CAIRO Congress event and CAIRO Congress more or less being an apolitical organization, they don't write legislation. They represent all 50 states in their state association structure. So it was, to me, it was a natural fit and we needed administrative oversight. So administrative oversight's been a big deal coming out of Cairol Congress. And then we circle the wagons at Cairol Congress where all the state associations are feeling the same pains and growth. I get tremendous support there. I just think it was a natural fit. And again, not to usurp anybody else's juice or strategies within the profession just to be as we are.
With government affairs, if you were to look a year down the road, you mentioned parity. Is that really the prime objective right now within the government affairs workgroup?
Yeah, I think our second legislative forum, we birthed that in Denver last year and then this year coming together, it really gave the state associations the opportunity to look at what they need and we need payment parity. Obviously, Medicare reform is a huge issue. There are bills. I think the national associations have done a masterful job of not stepping on each other's toes and keeping that alive. I know there's really good activity in the new administration. The Make America Healthy Again is a good strategy. We are just looking for ways that we're going to fit in with that, not necessarily driving an initiative with the administration, but to look at how can we support you. They're going through massive changes, a massive discussion, and we see that all in the press. But the bottom line is, is how can we help them? Because we're not really in a position to mandate anything.
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