Chiropractic care can help to resolve a number of physical aches and pains that you may experience due to a variety of reasons. If you frequently experience pain or you have recently suffered an injury, you may be considering chiropractic care as a treatment. You may also be wondering whether that care will be covered by your health insurance provider. While chiropractic care is actually quite affordable even without insurance, it’s certainly understandable to have questions regarding what you can expect to pay.
Although not all insurance providers are the same, many health insurance companies do cover the cost of chiropractic care. With that said, it’s also fairly common for patients to pay a co-payment when using their insurance to cover their chiropractic treatments.
In addition to a co-payment, you may also need to meet other requirements or restrictions in order for your insurance to cover your chiropractic treatments. Some of the more common restrictions include:
• A primary care physician referral
• A limit regarding the number of chiropractic visits your insurance will cover within a specific period of time
• Required use of approved chiropractors or in-network chiropractors
• Approved only for short-term care
Depending upon your policy, you may also be required to meet your insurance policy’s deductible. Your deductible refers to the minimum amount you must pay before your insurance will begin covering visits. Deductibles are typically based on an annual amount. For instance, if you have a $1,000 annual deductible, this means that you must pay $1,000 out of pocket before your insurance company will pay for any treatments. In most policies, deductibles reset each year. Therefore, if you have already met your deductible for one calendar year but you are still receiving treatment after the first of the next year, you may need to meet your deductible again This amount is different for every policy. Keep in mind that even after you have met your deductible, you may still be responsible for paying a co-payment each time you visit the chiropractor.
Many people have questions about what they might expect to pay for chiropractic treatment. This all depends on a number of factors, including whether you need to meet a deductible and the amount of your required co-payment. Some insurance companies will pay 100% of the cost of treatment, while other companies will only cover a portion of your services. You will be responsible for paying whatever portion of your treatment that your insurance company does not pay. Even so, if you have health insurance that covers chiropractic care, that will certainly make it much more affordable to receive the care you need.
Is Maintenance Care Covered by Insurance?
Coverage of chiropractic care is most often part of what is known as an active treatment plan. Under an active treatment plan, you receive care as treatment for a specific issue or injury. The ultimate goal of this plan is to improve the symptoms and condition associated with that injury or issue. Once improvement of that condition is no longer expected from treatment, care then moves from active treatment to maintenance care. In many instances, insurance companies will only cover active treatment plans that are deemed medially necessary. As a result, your insurance company may not consider maintenance care to be medically necessary and therefore may not pay for such treatments.
In the event that your insurance company does not cover your chiropractic care for some reason, it is important to speak to our office. We may be able to communicate the need for your treatment to your insurance company and explain why such treatment is medically necessary. Another option would be to speak to your insurance company on your own, explain your issue or injury and why chiropractic care is needed at this time.
Even if your insurance company still will not cover your chiropractic care treatments, please do not hesitate to reach out to use to discuss other possible payment arrangements. Our entire team is completely committed to ensuring each of our patients receives the highest quality chiropractic care possible. Whether you have recently experienced an injury or you are suffering from a chronic condition, our office is here to help. We would be happy to schedule an appointment for you to discuss your current situation, conduct an exam, and develop an active treatment plan. Give us a call at 205-637-1363 for more information about our chiropractic services. We are proud to serve Birmingham, Alabama and the surrounding area.
