Medicare Chiropractic Demonstration Project Passes One-Year Mark
In 2003, Congress authorized four two-year pilot projects designed to test expanded access to chiropractic services for America's seniors. Launched on April 1, 2005, the Medicare Chiropractic Demonstration Project is designed to determine the feasibility and desirability of reimbursing common chiropractic services in addition to manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation; under current law, chiropractors can only provide Medicare beneficiaries with that single covered service, despite being licensed in all 50 states to provide additional services currently covered under Medicare.
In recognition of the project's one-year anniversary, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) passed a formal resolution in appreciation of the doctors of chiropractic who have chosen to participate in the program. The resolution, ratified by the ACA House of Delegates, states the following:
| "Resolved, that the ACA expresses its sincerest gratitude and appreciation to all parties involved in the efforts surrounding the Medicare Chiropractic Demonstration Project, but particularly the individual doctors of chiropractic who elect to participate in the project and are thereby helping to secure a better future for all doctors of chiropractic and, more importantly, contributing to the promise of a healthier American public, and "Resolved, that the ACA asks all doctors of chiropractic to thank the participating doctors in these areas, and encourages those doctors of chiropractic who have not yet elected to participate, to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity." |
The demonstration project continues through March 2007. Initial project areas included eight counties in Illinois; 17 counties in Virginia; and the entire states of Maine and New Mexico. The project was later expanded to include 26 counties in Illinois and one county in Iowa.
FCER Establishes Referral Partnership With ACOM Solutions
The Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) recently announced that its board of directors has voted to partner ACOM EMER, the health care business division of ACOM Solutions, Inc. ACOM is a developer/marketer of clinical notes/documentation and practice management software; its primary products are RAPID EMR, which automates documentation required by insurers for payment of claims; and RAPID EPM, a practice management tool for front and back office processes.
According to FCER Director of Administration, DeAnne Beck, "It was the [board's] consensus that RAPID EMR is the best product of its type that they had ever seen. The board felt that they would like to move information about it into the profession, and ACOM is in the process of doing that right now, with our organization's support."
She added that the partnership "will be of significant benefit to our members, both in advancing our core activities [and] in bringing them a fresh exposure to better business practices in their offices, in their notes and reporting and in the practice management requirements, both areas of critical need throughout the medical field."
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
