UnitedHealthCare (UHC) has announced an innovative new benefit design that will allow members of certain employer-sponsored health plans to access chiropractic care in cases of acute low back pain with $0 out-of-pocket dollars (waived deductible or co-pay).
According to UHC, the benefit covers three chiropractic (or physical therapy) visits with no out-of-pocket costs. Insureds suffering from acute LBP can obtain treatment from the more than 75,000 DCs and PTs currently participating in UHC's national care provider network.
While insureds will have no out-of-pocket costs for the three visits, UHC emphasizes that the allowable number of visits to a DC (or PT) per year remains the same per the terms of the plan selected. Insureds also must have allowable visits remaining on their plan (we assume up to three) in order to take full advantage of the $0 out-of-pocket provision.
"This new benefit design may help encourage people with low back pain to get the right care at the right time and in the right setting, helping expand access to evidence-based and more affordable treatments," explained Anne Docimo, MD, UnitedHealthcare's chief medical officer, in a UHC press release. "With millions of Americans experiencing low back pain currently or at some point during their lifetimes, we believe this benefit design will help make a meaningful difference by improving health outcomes while reducing costs."
The new LBP benefit has already been made available for some new and renewing employers with 51 or more employees in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina; and in New York to employers with 101 or more employees. As of Jan.1, 2020, the benefit expands to also include employers with self-funded plans, and employers with 2-50 employees, in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. According to UHC, "Broader expansion is planned throughout 2020 and 2021."
It’s unknown exactly how many UHC plan participants will enjoy the $0 co-pay benefit in 2020, but we do know if they do, they will have the choice of seeing a chiropractor or a physical therapist with their free visits. It’s up to individual DCs and the profession to make sure they’re informed that the clear choice is chiropractic.
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