With the opioid epidemic both an ongoing public health crisis and a hot topic extending well beyond the health care industry, Congress continues stepping up to the plate. Case in point: H.R. 5722, the Dr. Todd Graham Pain Management Improvement Act of 2018, one of a number of bills packaged under the MOST (Medicare and Opioid Safe Treatment) Act, legislation designed to fill coverage gaps for individuals at risk for or suffering from opioid use disorder.
Named in honor of Dr. Todd Graham, and Indiana physician murdered by the husband of a patient whom Dr. Graham refused to prescribe pain medication after he determined her condition was chronic, H.R. 5722 "[directs] the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report containing recommendation on how to improve the use of non-opioid treatments for acute and chronic pain management for individuals entitled to benefits under part A or enrolled under part B of the Medicare program, and for other purposes."
In formulating the report, the HHS secretary is required to consult with various health care agencies organizations and providers, including "licensed health care providers who furnish alternative pain management services." The report is also required to include an evaluation of barriers to Medicare recipients receiving nondrug pain management; the "[potential legislative and administrative changes under such title to improve individuals' access to items and services currently covered under such title and used for the treatment of pain, such as cognitive behavioral interventions, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physical medicine, biofeedback therapy, and chiropractic therapy, and other pain treatments services furnished in a hospital or post-acute care setting" [our emphasis in italics]; and a cost / benefit analysis associated with expanding coverage to include non-opioid pain management options.
To learn more about the Medicare and Opioid Safe Treatment Act, and review the stipulations in H.R. 5722 and the other bills packaged under the MOST Act, click here. As of press time, the act is under review by the House Committee on Ways and Means.
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?
