Working with a chiropractor is a great way to speed up the healing process after you’ve sustained a musculoskeletal injury. Whether you’ve got whiplash, a pinched nerve, or a displaced disc, chiropractors can use hands-on techniques that far exceed the efficacy of prescription pain pills and bed rest. If you’re interested in working with a chiropractor, you may be curious as to whether local clinics are able to accept your health insurance. The good news is that for many insurance companies, chiropractic care is considered a covered service.
You simply need to find providers that are within your insurer’s network, and who are willing to accept the type of coverage you have. Most local chiropractors are able to accept a very broad range of plan types. Once you’ve identified a clinic that you’d like to visit, you can call in and ask about their available payment options.
Most chiropractors maintain lists of accepted insurance plans on their professional websites. However, in addition to verifying whether or not your coverage is accepted, you’ll also need to contact your insurer to find out if there are any special steps required. Some insurance companies make it necessary for policyholders to first receive referrals from their regular doctors.
In many instances, even when chiropractic care is deemed a covered service, patients are still required to pay out-of-pocket costs. These can include any plan deductibles that have yet to be paid, co-payments, and prescription fees. Although chiropractors do not generally prescribe pain medications like conventional doctors do, many integrative chiropractic clinics may prescribe a variety of natural health supplements.
What You Need to Know About Paying for Chiropractic Care
There are actually many ways to cover the costs of chiropractic care. Thus, if chiropractic treatments are not covered by your health insurance plan, or if you’re unable to get a referral from your regular physician, you can still access these services. Chiropractic offices accept both full and partial payments from insurance companies. Remaining balances can be paid for in cash, or by using a credit or debit card. There are even chiropractors who are willing to work with car accident, slip-and-fall accident, and other personal injury victims. In these instances, chiropractors may be willing to wait for payment until settlement monies have been collected by patients’ personal injury attorneys, and are then disbursed.
Working with a chiropractor after a personal injury is a great way to bolster and build your claim. Given their extensive knowledge of the entire musculoskeletal system, chiropractic doctors are often able to identify injuries that conventional doctors have overlooked. In fact, these services are highly recommended before accepting settlement monies, even if no injuries have been identified by your general doctor or emergency room physician. Musculoskeletal pain has an odd way of revealing itself several days or even weeks after the event that has caused it. If you make the mistake of settling your claim too soon, you may wind up dealing with:
- Joint stiffness and general joint dysfunction
- Chronic neck, back, or shoulder pain
- The need to take additional time away from work
- New medical bills
Once accident victims have accepted settlement offers, they cannot return and ask for additional monies, even if their injuries warrant it.
Consulting with a chiropractor is a great way to identify problems that weren’t apparent during an initial emergency room visit. Obtaining these services is also an effective way to document your claim when all accident-related injuries have already been diagnosed. Your chiropractor can submit regular updates on your treatment and your progress to your attorney. These records can be shared with insurance adjusters and factored into settlement negotiations.
No matter what your health concerns or wellness goals may be, it’s possible to find the perfect payment plan for your circumstances and needs. You always have the ability to talk about any financial concerns with your chiropractor when structuring your treatment. Although nearly all chiropractic clinics offer manual spinal adjustments,, many maintain a far larger range of services.
These can include computer-assisted spinal adjustments, acupressure, massage, inversion, acupuncture, hydro-therapy, and more. Integrated chiropractic clinics tend to charge more than those with fewer available skills, fewer specialized professionals on staff, and less equipment. However, even integrated, multi-pronged chiropractic treatments can be structured to be budget-friendly. If you’re interested in receiving chiropractic care and want to know more about its costs, the types of insurances accepted, and the different therapies available, we’ve got the answers you need. Call us now at 205-637-1363
