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.
Fight for Full Physician Status in Medicare
Have you signed the American Chiropractic Association's (ACA) National Medicare Equality Petition yet? As of press time, the association continues to collect signatures from doctors of chiropractic, their patients and chiropractic supporters for the petition, which the ACA says is intended to "raise awareness of how the current Medicare system [which currently serves more than 55 million individuals] shortchanges seniors who want and need the essential services provided by DCs to stay healthy, pain free and mobile."
Visit www.acatoday.org/equality to sign the petition, which ultimately will be sent to the White House and members of Congress. The goal of the petition is to spur legislative action that will define doctors of chiropractic as "physicians" under Section 1861 of the Social Security Act, enabling an individual DC to provide any existing Medicare-covered service that falls within their state scope of practice.
"It's high time we correct this biased statute," said ACA Interim Executive Vice President, Rick Miller. "It's bad for the doctors; it's bad for the patients; it needs to change, and it needs to change now."