Save 40% on Low Back Pain Care with Chiropractic
Low back pain is a significant public health problem. Fifty percent of working Americans have back pain each year. In addition to its negative effects on employee productivity, back pain treatment accounts for some $134 billion in annual health care costs—making it one of the top 10 most costly conditions treated in the United States.
A study featuring data from 85,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield beneficiaries finds that low back pain care initiated with a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) saves 40 percent on health care costs when compared with care initiated through a medical doctor (MD). The study concludes that insurance companies that restrict access to chiropractic care for low back pain treatment may inadvertently pay more for care than they would if they removed such restrictions. The study looked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee’s intermediate and large group, fully insured
population over a two-year span. The insured study population had open access to MDs and DCs through self-referral, and there were no limits applied to the number of MD/DC visits allowed and no differences in co-pays. 1.
Results show that paid costs for episodes of care initiated by a DC were almost 40 percent less than care initiated through an MD. After risk-adjusting each patient’s costs, researchers still found significant savings in the chiropractic group. They estimated that allowing DC-initiated episodes of care would have led to an annual cost savings of $2.3 million for BCBS of Tennessee. “As Doctor of Chiropractic, we know firsthand that our care often helps patients avoid or reduce more costly interventions such as drugs and surgery. This study supports what we see in our practices every day,” said ACA President Rick McMichael, DC. “It also demonstrates the value of chiropractic care at a critical time, when our nation is attempting to reform its health care system and contain runaway costs.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing low back pain, schedule an appointment today to see how Hall Chiropractic can help. You may reach us at 803.412.2240 or go to our CONTACT US page to schedule an appointment.
We look forward to helping you!
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21109053/
Posted In:
Chiropractic Care
Back Pain
