W. Va. law can help curb opioid addiction

The governor of West Virginia signed a bill last week making it law that MDs must refer their pain patients to either a Chiropractor or physical therapist before they can prescribe opioids and any insurance company doing business in West Virginia must have Chiropractic coverage of at least 20 visits. It’s the first law of its kind in the country and will take effect in 90 days.

Over 2 months ago I met with Senator George Amedore proposing he consider introducing a bill that would make it mandatory for every middle and high school student in the state of New York to undergo a biomechanical exam at the start of the school year in addition to the current medical exam all students receive. Although eyes, ears, nose and throat are important, these kids start their sports seasons without anyone ever looking at their musculoskeletal systems. This is the very start of a broken system.

Unfortunately, Senator Amedore didn’t have the vision the governor of West Virginia had, and gave me every reason why it wouldn’t work. Hope- fully we’ll have some politicians in New York state who are more willing to step up and figure out how to make it work. 115 people are dying every day in this country due to opioid overdose, and it’s all because the public is going to doctors who don’t understand musculoskeletal and write prescriptions for the relief of pain while never addressing the cause of the problem.

Dr. Tim Maggs Schenectady Maggs is a chiropractor and the developer of the Concerned Parents of Young Athletes Program