ACA Says its President - Marcus Nynas - is entitled to his Opinion on Drugs
Originally published: 2025-04-29
Montana’s Drug Bill Battle Is Far from Over
As chiropractors across Montana and the country fight to stop HB 929—the bill that would allow chiropractors to prescribe drugs—a new layer of misdirection has emerged. This time, the confusion doesn’t come from lawmakers or regulators. It comes from Dynamic Chiropractic, the publication long known as the unofficial media mouthpiece of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).
On April 23, Dynamic Chiropractic published an article attempting to cast doubt on whether the ACA actually supports HB 929—despite overwhelming evidence, including direct testimony, organizational ties, and strategic affiliations that say otherwise.
“Is the ACA backpedaling—or playing both sides?”
What Did Dynamic Chiropractic Claim?
The article focused on Rep. Greg Oblander’s testimony before the Montana Senate on April 11, in which he explicitly cited ACA support for HB 929:
“ACA, which is the American Chiropractic Association, they have approximately 10,000 members. They are in support of this. Matter of fact, we have the President of the ACA that lives right here in Montana… they are supportive of that because they look at this and say they encourage each state to determine what they want their scopes to be…”
Yet, according to Dynamic Chiropractic, they received a statement from the ACA nearly two weeks later that seems designed to distance the national group from the bill:
ACA Statement:
“As a national organization, the American Chiropractic Association’s focus is federal healthcare policy. ACA is respectful of states’ rights to self-determination based on local needs, and therefore ACA does not generally take a position on state healthcare legislation…”
Dynamic Chiropractic then asks, “Were legislators misled?” The real question is: why is Don Peterson misleading the profession?
Let’s Be Clear: The ACA Is Driving This Bill
The ACA’s statement is a carefully crafted piece of misdirection. It doesn’t deny support. It doesn’t refute Oblander’s claims. It merely hides behind procedural ambiguity and bureaucratic phrasing like “generally does not take a position.” But here’s what they aren’t saying:
The ACA’s current President, Dr. Marcus Nynas, is the former President of the Montana Chiropractic Association (MCA).
The MCA is an official ACA Affiliate, which means their agendas, communications, and policy goals are formally aligned.
The very practice Ryan Oblander now owns was purchased from Marcus Nynas, tying business and politics directly.
Key MCA leaders—Caitlin Walter, Dustin Rising, Julie Murack—are ACA members and sit on both the MCA Board and the Montana Board of Chiropractors, creating a feedback loop of influence.
Oblander himself cited ACA support during public testimony without objection from any ACA official.
“The ACA didn’t deny support. It just tried to bury it under lawyer-speak.”
Adding further weight to the ACA’s involvement, Dr. Marcus Nynas—the current ACA President and architect of the Montana drug expansion strategy—was recently awarded ACA’s highest honor: Chiropractor of the Year. The award recognized his leadership and influence in critical policy areas including Medicare reform and payer equity—both central to the ACA’s long-term goal of expanding chiropractic scope to include drugs. Nynas was elected ACA President in January 2025 after serving as Vice President, Montana delegate for nine years, and chairing ACA’s Payment Policy Committee and Medicare Advisory Board. His deep entrenchment in both state and national policymaking makes the ACA’s denial of involvement in HB 929 not only implausible—but insulting to the intelligence of the profession.
Dynamic Chiropractic: The ACA’s Disinformation Outlet
Dynamic Chiropractic has long been regarded as the public relations arm of the ACA, regularly promoting its events, leadership, and policies while ignoring or undermining voices outside its orbit. That’s what makes this latest article so concerning: it appears to be part of a damage control campaign to help the ACA save face as backlash against HB 929 grows.
Notably, the article does not publish the full ACA letter, choosing instead to paraphrase or selectively quote from it—raising questions about what was left out and why.
And it worked.
Shortly after publication, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA)—an organization that opposes drugs in chiropractic—posted that no national organization supports HB 929. Apparently, even the ICA was fooled by this maneuver.
“The ICA got duped. But the facts haven’t changed.”
The MCA-ACA Machine: A Coordinated Takeover
Let’s recap what’s actually happening:
Greg Oblander, DC – MCA’s 2024 Chiropractor of the Year and the legislator who introduced both HB 500 and HB 929.
Ryan Oblander, DC – MCA board member, ACA member, and member of the MCA Insurance & Legislative Committee.
Marcus Nynas, DC – Former MCA President, current ACA President, and original owner of the Oblander practice.
Caitlin Walter, DC – MCA VP, State Board member, ACA member, HB 500 supporter.
Dustin Rising, DC – MCA Board member, State Board member, ACA member.
Julie Murack, DC – State Board President, ACA member, married to a former MCA Chiropractor of the Year.
They all serve on overlapping boards and committees, write the bills, regulate the outcomes, and control the messaging.
And yet the ACA would like you to believe they’re uninvolved.
“This isn’t state policy. This is a nationally coordinated campaign.”
The Real Question: What Is the ACA Hiding?
Is the ACA’s leadership divided? Has President Marcus Nynas gone rogue? Or is this a strategic effort to confuse the public and neutralize opposition by claiming plausible deniability?
Whatever the reason, the effect is the same: the chiropractic profession is being misled.
HB 929 is not an isolated Montana bill. It’s the test balloon for ACA’s Medicare drug expansion strategy. The ACA and its affiliates are counting on chiropractors not paying attention—or being too confused to respond.
We must not fall for it.
What You Can Do
Contact your Montana Senators and urge them to vote NO on any blast amendment that would bring HB 929 to the floor.
Ask the ICA to clarify its position in light of the ACA’s active role.
Share this information with other chiropractors before it’s too late.
Because if we allow confusion to reign, this bill—or one just like it—will pass.
Not because of overwhelming support.
Not because of evidence.
But because of coordinated deception and institutional silence.
