News Article 1
Research Continues to Show that Chiropractic Saves Money and Improves
Patient’s Health.
In the last two
newsletters, I have spent more time condemning medications and not
showing evidence that chiropractic is superior in many ways.
This month I want to focus on 2 separate studies released in 2009
that show how beneficial chiropractic can be when patients use a
chiropractors services regularly.
Remember, the
information presented is not my opinion, but the results of research
conducted by the insurance industry.
The full text of the studies can be reviewed at
www.chiropractic-info.com.
There are also other interesting studies posted on that website.
Cost-Effective Care: The Evidence Mounts
Tell your legislators: chiropractic reduces
health care costs, and a growing body of evidence is proving it
“Only weeks after the release of a
Wellmark pilot study that suggests
chiropractic reduces both costs and need for surgery, Milliman USA has
released findings from "An Actuarial Analysis of the Impact of
Chiropractic Care on the Costs of Medical Care for Patients With Common
Spinal Diagnoses," a previously confidential report that adds to the
evidence linking use of chiropractic services with significant cost
savings.”
Milliman USA
The first data set came from the MEDSTAT MarketScan Research Database,
representing inpatient and outpatient health care utilization by
patients nationwide who are covered by the benefit plans of large
employers; the second comprised claims data from 14 managed care plans
throughout the U.S.
According to the executive summary of the report, "The two analyses
indicate that spinal patients
who seek chiropractic coverage have materially lower health care costs
than those who do not. The difference is consistent in all years
and between the two data sets.
The difference range from 10% to 23% lower costs for those patients who
sought chiropractic care."
Wow!! Powerful stuff.
If your insurance carrier wants to cut chiropractic benefits,
that would be a BIG mistake!!….
Here is the second one…
How Chiropractic Helps the Insurance
Industry
Report suggests covering chiropractic care of neck and low back pain
increases value-for-dollar of health benefit plans.
Insurance companies and
others hesitant to expand coverage of chiropractic care should review a
copy of a report prepared by Mercer Health and Benefits, a San
Francisco-based human resources and financial advisor. The report, "Do Chiropractic Physician Services
for Treatment of Low Back and Neck Pain Improve the Value of Health
Benefit Plans?" concludes that chiropractic care "is likely to
achieve equal or better health outcomes at a cost that compares very
favorably to most therapies that are routinely covered in U.S. health
benefit plans" and that covering chiropractic services for neck and low
back pain "will likely increase value-for-dollar by improving clinical
outcomes and either reducing total spending (neck pain) or increasing
total spending (low back pain) by a smaller percentage as clinical
outcomes improve."
Take-Home Points
·
Chiropractic
care is widely used, with almost half of all patients with persistent
back pain seeking this form of treatment.
·
"Chiropractic
care is more effective than other modalities for treating low
back and neck pain.
· Chiropractic care for the treatment of low back and neck pain "is highly cost-effective, represents a good value in comparison to medical physician care and to widely accepted cost-effectiveness thresholds."
·
"Insurance coverage for
chiropractic physician care ... is likely to drive improved
cost-effectiveness of
·
These findings
"support the value of health insurance coverage of chiropractic care for
low back and neck pain at average fees currently payable by
…This study provides more evidence why chiropractic care should be
included in all health care plans…
Again, the full text of these studies can be reviewed at
www.chiropractic-info.com.
A group of chiropractors in
….watching your back!!!!
D.