In a landmark development, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has reached a $2.8 billion settlement to resolve antitrust claims brought by health care providers, including chiropractors. The lawsuit accused BCBS of dividing the nation into exclusive regions and limiting competition, which resulted in lower reimbursements for providers. Although BCBS denies any wrongdoing, the company agreed to the settlement to avoid lengthy litigation – and you can get a piece of the pie.
I.Q. -- Interesting Quote
No Surprises Here
There are times when research confirms what is blatantly obvious. Chiropractors have long understood that back surgery often begets more back surgery, a phenomenon researchers recognize as "failed back surgery syndrome." Consider this announcement in the September 1996 issue of the Spine Letter:
At this years annual meeting of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine in Burlington, Vermont, a study was presented that found:
The "external compression caused by a retractor causes significant increases in intramuscular pressure and decreases local muscle blood flow, thus contributing to structural damage of the back muscles in posterior lumbar spine surgery."
It's gratifying to know that researchers are becoming more open about the risk of permanent damage involved in spinal surgery.