Dr. Douglas R. Briggs is the senior associate at First State Health and Wellness in Wilmington, Del. A graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, he has been a regular contributor to this publication since 2005, writing on the topic of "Things I Have Learned." Dr. Briggs has earned diplomate certification through the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture and is also credentialed as a diplomate in pain management through the American Academy of Pain Management. He has written and contributed to several articles and books on the topics of chiropractic, acupuncture, and natural healing, including the chapter on chiropractic and acupuncture in the legal nursing text Medical Legal Aspects of Medical Records.
Recent laws in New Jersey and California represent a disturbing trend that will negatively impact a practice’s ability to collect monies from patients, as well as expose them to significant penalties if the practice does not follow the mandatory guidelines to a T. Please be aware that a similar law may be coming to your state. The time to act is before the law is passed.
Each year, ICD-10-CM is updated on Oct. 1. For 2026, there are 74,179 total codes, with 487 additions, 28 deletions and 38 revisions. Code changes are based on date of service, not the claim submission date. Services performed on/after Oct. 1 must use the new codes. While no changes affect the common spinal or extraspinal codes most frequently used by DCs, several updates may still affect your claims – particularly for comorbidities, referred pain, or trauma cases.
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Southern California University of Health Sciences has entered into an agreement with Pacific College of Health and Science whereby PCHS’ San Diego and Chicago campuses – including students, faculty, staff, and academic programs – will join SCU effective May 2026, pending regulatory approval. Founded in 1986 as Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, PCHS is not only the largest acupuncture / herbal medicine school in the U.S., but also offers integrative health curriculum in holistic nursing and massage therapy.
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