An unfortunate statistic is that back pain accounts for more than $100 billion in annual U.S. health care costs and is the second leading cause of physician visits and hospitalization.
There are a number of studies suggesting that access to managed chiropractic care may reduce overall health care expenditures and produce beneficial outcomes to patients.
The following studies are summaries*:
1. More Satisfaction
Evaluating one-month outcomes for Oregon-area patients with chronic low-back pain: Chiropractic patients showed five times greater improvement than medical patients treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Ninety percent of chiropractic patients claimed satisfaction with their care, compared to fifty-two percent of medical patients.
2. More Effective for Neck Pain
At a cost of about one-third less than physiotherapy or general practitioner care, chiropractic was more effective at treating neck pain.
Chiropractic care resulted in the greatest recovery rate, fewer lost workdays, and lower direct and indirect costs reported one year after therapy.
3. Less of a Drain on Medicare
Medicare beneficiaries who had chiropractic care had an average Medicare payment of $4,426for all Medicare services. Those who had other types of care had an average Medicare payment of $8,103 for all Medicare services…83% greater! Per-claim average for chiropractic patients was $133, compared to $210 for patients who did not have chiropractic care.
4. Reduced Procedures and Costs
Patients in a large Chicago HMO who used Doctors of Chiropractic as their primary care providers had 43% decreases in hospital admissions, 52% reductions in pharmaceutical costs, and 43% less outpatient surgeries and procedures.
5. Lower Costs All Around
A four-year retrospective review of claims from 1.7 million health plan members found that back pain patients with chiropractic coverage had lower total annual health care costs than those without such coverage. Back pain patients with chiropractic coverage also realized lower utilization of radiographs, low back surgery, hospitalization and MRIs. Back pain episode-related costs were 25% lower for those with chiropractic coverage.
6. 20-Year Retrospective
In a 1975-1994 retrospective review of 96,627 compensation claims for workers with musculoskeletal injuries, the average cost of treatment, hospitalization and compensation payments were higher for patients treated by MDs than for patients treated by DCs. Average number of lost workdays was also higher.
*Copies of the full studies from which summaries have been extracted are available via Capitol Consultants, Inc. which manages the South Carolina Chiropractic Association.
What you need to know about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Chiropractic Care in Greenville
Chiropractic and Insurance
If you take a look at healthcare in the United States, you see that the dominant industry of healthcare is conventional Western medicine. For business reasons, health insurance companies cater to those who control the industry: medical doctors and hospitals. There is a long history of prejudice against chiropractic by political medicine, which is one of the primary reasons why chiropractic care is poorly covered by many insurers.
Many research studies have shown that chiropractic care is both cost effective and beneficial in the treatment of low back pain along with other musculoskeletal conditions. The chiropractic focus on prevention also lowers health care costs.
A sampling of Greenville patient testimonies and clinical research have both shown that people benefit from chiropractic care. Unfortunately, some people have difficulty affording chiropractic care because of limited insurance benefits.
Health Savings Accounts and Chiropractic
Health Savings Accounts give many people access to chiropractic, so they can enjoy activities they love.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have helped many of our patients afford chiropractic care. Health Savings Accounts can pay for chiropractic care even when the coverage is excluded from health insurance policies. The HSA allows a patient to pay for chiropractic with pre-tax dollars, which can also result in significant savings.
The savings are multiplied since chiropractic patients often have better health and avoid the greater cost of conventional medicine.
The combination of a Health Savings Account and a high deductible health insurance plan encourages people to think carefully about their healthcare choices. Choosing chiropractic care for prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal challenges can go a long way to help save money and improve the quality of life for HSA owners.
Contact your HR department or insurance broker to find out more about Health Savings Accounts and whether an HSA can serve your healthcare needs.
