UHC Rejecting Traction Claims
UnitedHealthcare, which has been in hot water with the profession before, appears to be denying all insurance claims for mechanical traction per the following, effective Jan. 1 of this year:
"Mechanical traction therapy (spinal unloading devices, spinal decompression and conventional mechanical devices) for the treatment of neck and low back disorders with or without radiculopathy is unproven. There is insufficient evidence from peer-reviewed published studies to conclude that spinal unloading devices are effective in the management of low back pain or that they improve outcomes. In addition, the available published studies are flawed by inclusion of heterogeneous small patient populations, variability in the treatment protocol, concomitant use of therapies during the study period, subjective outcome measures, insufficient follow-up durations and lack of blinding."
The policy also notes: "Devices may include the use of a table, vest, weights or pneumatic devices."
Sherman Board of Trustees Elects Three New Members
Mary Ellen Rada, DC, Marilee Keim, BS, MEd, and Todd Picou, BS, MBA, have been elected to the Sherman College of Chiropractic Board of Trustees to serve four-year terms. Dr. Rada, a 1988 graduate of Sherman, has served on the FCLB, NBCE, New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety/Division of Consumer Affairs and New Jersey State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Ms. Keim is the Social Studies Department chair at Fairfield Junior Senior High School in Goshen, Ind., and the wife of alumnus and regent Richard Keim. And Mr. Picou co-founded Hospice Care of South Carolina, the Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation, Executive Management Consultants, Allcare Medical, and Senior Care Consultants.
