Posts Tagged ‘Health Insurance’
December 15th, 2009 | 
Author: 
Wiley Long asked:
The healthcare industry in the United States is dominated by the culture of conventional Western medicine. And health insurance caters to those who control the industry: medical doctors and hospitals. There is a long history of prejudice against chiropractic by medical doctors, which is one reason that chiropractic care is not often covered by health insurance.
Many research studies have shown that chiropractic care is beneficial and that it is more cost effective in the treatment of low back pain and other common musculoskeletal conditions than traditional Western medicine is. Chiropractic also lowers health care costs by focusing on prevention, was well as on treatment.
It is surprising that health insurers choose not to cover treatment that is as beneficial and cost effective as chiropractic care is. Studies have continually shown that individuals who seek the care of a chiropractor on a regular basis are healthier and, generally, spend less on health care than those who do not.
Chiropractic Care and Consumers
What is not surprising is that consumers are wise enough to see the advantages of chiropractic care. Many people prefer to see a chiropractor simply because they see tangible benefits from the care they receive. Many others are disillusioned with traditional Western medicine and the healthcare system, and they look for alternatives such as chiropractic care.
It is clear, both from patient testimonies and from clinical research that consumers benefit from chiropractic care. Unfortunately, they may have difficulty affording chiropractic care because it’s often excluded from healthcare insurance policies.
Health Savings Accounts can help consumers afford chiropractic care, even when it is excluded from their health insurance policy. They can pay for chiropractic care and other alternative medicine with pre-tax dollars by using a Health Savings Account.
Many chiropractors keep their costs as low as possible in order to make chiropractic care more available to consumers. They can, however, only absorb so much of the cost of providing that care. Another way chiropractors can help clients gain access to chiropractic care is to encourage the use of Health Savings Accounts.
Health Savings Accounts and Consumer Choice
The combination of a Health Savings Account and a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is supposed to encourage individuals to become thoughtful, wise consumers of health care. The individual is spending more of his or her own dollars on healthcare, so she will be more concerned about how those dollars are spent.
Health Savings Accounts give consumers more choice in how their healthcare dollars are spent. Money in the HSA must be spent on approved medical expenses, but there are really very few restrictions on what kind of healthcare you choose. More and more chiropractic patients are discovering that having an HSA is saving them money on their medical expenses.
Traditional health insurance has gatekeepers and controls. Even when chiropractic care is covered (not typical on individual plans), the individual requesting chiropractic care may be required to go see their family physician (or gatekeeper) and get a referral. Not all medical doctors will refer to chiropractors. If chiropractic care is covered on the health insurance plan, and if you can get a referral (which amounts to permission to see the chiropractor), there may be limits to the number and types of treatments you can receive.
Using a Health Savings Account to pay for chiropractic care gives you, the consumer, more choice. You can choose what type of medical treatment to get, where you will get that treatment, and how many treatments you will get. You can spend HSA dollars on preventive care as well, and actually have the government give you a tax deduction for keeping your family well.
Huntington Beach Chiropractor
The healthcare industry in the United States is dominated by the culture of conventional Western medicine. And health insurance caters to those who control the industry: medical doctors and hospitals. There is a long history of prejudice against chiropractic by medical doctors, which is one reason that chiropractic care is not often covered by health insurance.
Many research studies have shown that chiropractic care is beneficial and that it is more cost effective in the treatment of low back pain and other common musculoskeletal conditions than traditional Western medicine is. Chiropractic also lowers health care costs by focusing on prevention, was well as on treatment.
It is surprising that health insurers choose not to cover treatment that is as beneficial and cost effective as chiropractic care is. Studies have continually shown that individuals who seek the care of a chiropractor on a regular basis are healthier and, generally, spend less on health care than those who do not.
Chiropractic Care and Consumers
What is not surprising is that consumers are wise enough to see the advantages of chiropractic care. Many people prefer to see a chiropractor simply because they see tangible benefits from the care they receive. Many others are disillusioned with traditional Western medicine and the healthcare system, and they look for alternatives such as chiropractic care.
It is clear, both from patient testimonies and from clinical research that consumers benefit from chiropractic care. Unfortunately, they may have difficulty affording chiropractic care because it’s often excluded from healthcare insurance policies.
Health Savings Accounts can help consumers afford chiropractic care, even when it is excluded from their health insurance policy. They can pay for chiropractic care and other alternative medicine with pre-tax dollars by using a Health Savings Account.
Many chiropractors keep their costs as low as possible in order to make chiropractic care more available to consumers. They can, however, only absorb so much of the cost of providing that care. Another way chiropractors can help clients gain access to chiropractic care is to encourage the use of Health Savings Accounts.
Health Savings Accounts and Consumer Choice
The combination of a Health Savings Account and a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is supposed to encourage individuals to become thoughtful, wise consumers of health care. The individual is spending more of his or her own dollars on healthcare, so she will be more concerned about how those dollars are spent.
Health Savings Accounts give consumers more choice in how their healthcare dollars are spent. Money in the HSA must be spent on approved medical expenses, but there are really very few restrictions on what kind of healthcare you choose. More and more chiropractic patients are discovering that having an HSA is saving them money on their medical expenses.
Traditional health insurance has gatekeepers and controls. Even when chiropractic care is covered (not typical on individual plans), the individual requesting chiropractic care may be required to go see their family physician (or gatekeeper) and get a referral. Not all medical doctors will refer to chiropractors. If chiropractic care is covered on the health insurance plan, and if you can get a referral (which amounts to permission to see the chiropractor), there may be limits to the number and types of treatments you can receive.
Using a Health Savings Account to pay for chiropractic care gives you, the consumer, more choice. You can choose what type of medical treatment to get, where you will get that treatment, and how many treatments you will get. You can spend HSA dollars on preventive care as well, and actually have the government give you a tax deduction for keeping your family well.
Huntington Beach Chiropractor
Posted in Alternative Medicine | 
Tags: Alternative Medicine, Chiropractic Care, Chiropractor, Clinical Research, Conventional Western Medicine, Health Care Costs, Health Insurance, Health Insurance Policy, Health Insurers, Health Savings Accounts, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Insurance, Healthcare System, History Of Prejudice, Insurance Policies, Low Back Pain, Medical Doctors, Musculoskeletal Conditions, Patient Testimonies, Tangible Benefits, Traditional Western Medicine | 
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Philip V. Cordova asked:
“I’m thinking about seeing a chiropractor. Oh, but chiropractic isn’t covered by health insurance, right?” Wrong! I get this question all the time. When someone is making the decision to choose chiropractic to take care of their health issue, they have to go through several decision processes.
First, will chiropractic help my problem? Typically, they are dealing with pain and aren’t getting much help from other methods they’ve tried to resolve it. They may have tried over-the-counter pain medications, maybe even some stronger versions prescribed by their doctor. They may have bought a brace or support, changed their bed, or just tried to rest for awhile. Nothing’s working.
Next they consider the location of the chiropractor. Are they close? Can I get to the office during their office hours? If this all fits, the person will eventually start to realize their is a cost involved and will start considering whether or not their insurance will cover all or at least part of the cost of going to see a chiropractor.
Does insurance cover chiropractic? In most cases, it does. There is not going to be “unlimited treatment for an unlimited time,” but there will be some coverage. Most insurance will place two types of limitations on coverage; either they will limit the total dollar amount they will pay, or they will limit the total number of times you can visit the chiropractor in a given year.
Will the amount of insurance coverage be enough for all of your treatment? It really depends on what’s wrong. Most health insurance is not set up to handle “wellness care,” that is, treatment when you’re already feeling pretty good. Health insurance is usually there to help in time of crisis. You have a heart attack, you’ve been involved in a car accident, or you back is so painful you can’t get to work. That’s a crisis.
The best way to find out if your insurance covers chiropractic and to find out what limitations are present, is to contact the office you want to go see. Many offices will verify your insurance benefits before you even go into the office. This way, you’ll know what you’re in for before you set foot in the door. Choosing your chiropractor only by your out-of-pocket expense is not usually the best way to find a doctor (or any service for that matter), but it’s helpful to get as much information as possible.
Huntington Beach Chiropractor
“I’m thinking about seeing a chiropractor. Oh, but chiropractic isn’t covered by health insurance, right?” Wrong! I get this question all the time. When someone is making the decision to choose chiropractic to take care of their health issue, they have to go through several decision processes.
First, will chiropractic help my problem? Typically, they are dealing with pain and aren’t getting much help from other methods they’ve tried to resolve it. They may have tried over-the-counter pain medications, maybe even some stronger versions prescribed by their doctor. They may have bought a brace or support, changed their bed, or just tried to rest for awhile. Nothing’s working.
Next they consider the location of the chiropractor. Are they close? Can I get to the office during their office hours? If this all fits, the person will eventually start to realize their is a cost involved and will start considering whether or not their insurance will cover all or at least part of the cost of going to see a chiropractor.
Does insurance cover chiropractic? In most cases, it does. There is not going to be “unlimited treatment for an unlimited time,” but there will be some coverage. Most insurance will place two types of limitations on coverage; either they will limit the total dollar amount they will pay, or they will limit the total number of times you can visit the chiropractor in a given year.
Will the amount of insurance coverage be enough for all of your treatment? It really depends on what’s wrong. Most health insurance is not set up to handle “wellness care,” that is, treatment when you’re already feeling pretty good. Health insurance is usually there to help in time of crisis. You have a heart attack, you’ve been involved in a car accident, or you back is so painful you can’t get to work. That’s a crisis.
The best way to find out if your insurance covers chiropractic and to find out what limitations are present, is to contact the office you want to go see. Many offices will verify your insurance benefits before you even go into the office. This way, you’ll know what you’re in for before you set foot in the door. Choosing your chiropractor only by your out-of-pocket expense is not usually the best way to find a doctor (or any service for that matter), but it’s helpful to get as much information as possible.
Huntington Beach Chiropractor