The Future of Chiropractic
Chiropractic

The Future of Chiropractic

The Education System, Student Loans & Insurance Reimbursement

Chiropractic today faces a perfect storm: political hurdles, financial pressures, shifts in education, declining student enrollment, tightening financial aid, and evolving public perceptions. These converging forces represent both our greatest threat and our greatest opportunity. Let's discuss each and set the stage for part 2 of this article, which outlines potential solutions.

Dennis Short, DC
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Billing / Fees / Insurance
Should You Be In-Network or Out-of-Network With Insurance?
Should You Be In-Network or Out-of-Network With Insurance?

It’s a new year and many chiropractors are evaluating what will enhance their respective practices, particularly as it relates to their bottom line. One of the most common questions I get is: “Do I need to be credentialed to bill insurance, and what are the best plans to join?” It’s a loaded question – but one every DC ponders. Whether you're already in-network or pondering whether to join, here's what you need to know.

Samuel A. Collins
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Anti Aging / Healthy Aging
Squaring the Geriatric Curve
Squaring the Geriatric Curve

The geriatric curve – the progressive decline in our health, fitness, mental capacity, and overall constitution – graphically appears as a downward sloping line over time. It is a culmination of the effects of sarcopenia, postural deterioration, frailty, and chronic noncommunicable diseases that occur as we age. While aging cannot be reversed, the goal is to reduce the negative slope or “square off” the curve, thus avoiding a steady decline in health. Here are five ways to get your patients started.

Donald DeFabio, DC, DACBSP, DABCO
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News / Profession
How Chiropractors Can Make It the Best of Times
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

Imagine an environment in which DCs are tightly integrated with their local healthcare system; a trusted resource for PCPs, specialists and self-insured employers; are reimbursed in alignment with value created; use modern technology enabling them to fully engage with their patients; are self-governed; and are able to maintain a fulfilling work-life balance. In the final part of this three-part series, we explore three areas for chiropractors to focus on to leave the current foolishness behind and create “the best of times” for DCs and their patients.

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Pediatrics
Clinical Considerations: Infant Tongue Tie / Tethered Oral Tissues
Clinical Considerations: Infant Tongue Tie / Tethered Oral Tissues

The term tongue tie or ankyloglossia is well-known to all pediatric-focused chiropractors. In the past 15-20 years, the prevalence of this diagnosis has skyrocketed. What this means to the pediatric chiropractor is that we are seeing breastfeeding babies in much greater numbers in our offices. Parents are seeking our help with this mysterious “tongue tie,” as are lactation consultants, pediatric dentists and many other members of the breastfeeding care team. Let’s look at some clinical aspects of this scenario that are well within the chiropractic scope.

Lynn Gerner, DC, FICPA, IBCLC
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Personal Injury / Legal
Court Rules Against No-Fault Insurers - Again
Court Rules Against No-Fault Insurers - Again

New York's highest court of appeals has held that no-fault insurers cannot deny no-fault benefits where they unilaterally determine that a provider has committed misconduct based upon alleged fraudulent conduct. The Court held that this authority belongs solely to state regulators, specifically New York's Board of Regents, which oversees professional licensing and discipline. This follows a similar recent ruling in Florida reported in this publication.

Jeff Randolph, Esq.
Anti Aging / Healthy Aging
Gaze Stabilization: Clinical Relevance for DCs
Gaze Stabilization: Clinical Relevance for DCs
Simple Eye Exercises That Improve Balance, Prevent Falls and Even Enhance Cognition

Keeping our eyes smoothly focused while moving is no simple task because even the simple act of running produces head velocities in excess of 550° per second with head accelerations up to 6,000° per second. Failure to properly stabilize our eyes to compensate for rapid head motion could allow our eyes to over- or undershoot specific targets, which can result in blurred vision, nausea, impaired balance, and a greatly increased risk of falling.

Thomas Michaud, DC
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Featured

The New Era of Ownership in Chiropractic

How Corporate Groups, MSOs and Insurers Are Reshaping a Once-Doctor-Owned Profession

The chiropractic profession is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. For more than a century, chiropractic was defined by small practices, local providers and direct community relationships. But today, a wave of corporate consolidation – driven by private equity, management services organizations (MSOs) and increasingly, insurance-linked musculoskeletal programs – is reshaping who owns chiropractic clinics and how care is delivered.

Sam Wang, DC
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Vitamins / Supplements  |  DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Curcumin: One Nutrient, Over 20 Benefits
Curcumin: One Nutrient, Over 20 Benefits

While there may be no “magic bullet” when it comes to health, this should not dissuade patients or practitioners from seeking out ingredients that offer multiple health benefits. When it comes to dietary supplements, there are thousands upon thousands of choices. So, why not choose one that can address pain and assist with mental health? A supplement that can address inflammation, while also preventing certain types of cancer.

Lexi Loch, ND
Billing / Fees / Insurance
Treat ... or Refer?
Treat ... or Refer?
Documenting Medical Necessity: Another Case

Let’s take another look at properly documenting patient findings in a SOAP note in order to demonstrate medical necessity. This process should tell the story of your encounter with the patient. Your documentation of the subjective and objective data acquired with the history of present illness and physical examination is an essential process.

James Lehman, DC, DIANM
Billing / Fees / Insurance
Best Practices for Submitting Clean Claims - The First Time
Best Practices for Submitting Clean Claims - The First Time

What’s the simplest way to ensure prompt payment for your claims? Ensure that the insurance payer has no reason to deny them. Submitting a “clean claim” from the start can have a more significant impact on your net collections than any other step in your billing workflow. Net collections and accounts receivable (AR) can improve significantly when claims are clean from the start. 

Konstantin Chernukhin
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Chiropractic (General)
The Importance of Asking the Right Questions: A Case Report
The Importance of Asking the Right Questions: A Case Report

If you do not ask the right questions, your differential diagnosis may lead to inappropriate case management. What’s more, not asking the patient certain questions may cause significant medicolegal problems. Let’s use this putative case report as an example.

James Lehman, DC, DIANM
Billing / Fees / Insurance
Handling Refund Requests
Handling Refund Requests

Refund requests are an unavoidable part of running a chiropractic practice. Whether a patient is unhappy with their care, believes an adjustment caused harm, or simply changes their mind, these situations must be handled carefully to avoid escalation. While chiropractors are not legally obligated to issue refunds in most cases, there are times when doing so is the best business decision to protect the practice.

Brandon Hoffman, BA
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