What the Smart Patient Should Know About Insurance Coverage for MN Chiropractors

MN Chiropractors can be covered by many insurances including major medical, medicare and Minnesota Worker’s Compensation. I am limited by space and can only provide coverage for major medical, Medicare, and Minnesota No-Fault.

Chiropractic services are covered by most major medical insurance policies. Medica and Health Partners are the two major Minnesota insurance companies. Although both of these insurances cover chiropractic services, the coverage varies from one policy to another. Two distinct networks of chiropractors are available for Medica and Health Partners. Only chiropractors in the insurance company’s network will provide maximum coverage. Your Provider Manual will usually contain a list of chiropractors within your insurance carrier network Sciatic.

Medica and Health Partners usually cover the following services provided by a chiropractor:

  • Examinations The initial examination is required by both professional standards and health insurance companies in order to diagnose the chiropractor. The chiropractor’s diagnosis informs the insurance company about the reason for the additional services. This allows the chiropractor determine what is causing your (or your patient’s) health issues and complaints.
  • Chiropractic adjustments are adjustments to the spine and extremities. Adjustments are gentle manipulations that restore optimal joint function. Many adjustments provide pain relief immediately. To retrain normal joint movement, it is necessary to make subsequent adjustments (on follow-up treatment visits). Atypical joint movement can often be the cause of joint inflammation and pain. A series of joint adjustments can correct abnormal joint movement and eliminate the pain and mechanical irritation.
  • Physiotherapy There are many other therapies that can be used to promote healing in an area of pain. Electrical muscle stimulation, for example, relaxes sore muscles, increases blood flow and blocks pain sensations locally.
  • Acupuncture is used to promote healing, and relieve pain. Acupuncture, which uses the ancient Chinese principle of chi (vital energy), balances energy in the body to promote healing.

MinnesotaNo-Fault (Auto)

Minnesota law covers chiropractic services if you are hurt in an auto accident. It is Minnesota law. For treatment of auto accident injuries, you don’t have to see a chiropractor or doctor chosen by your insurance company.

Beware Minnesota IME’s (Independent Medical Examiners).

However, your insurance company can send you to a doctor on a limited basis. This usually involves one visit. The auto insurance company will almost always send their insured to their doctor, who is often referred to as an “Independent Medical Examiner” to verify any injuries sustained in an accident. Auto insurance companies will send clients to IME’s if they wish to cease paying for treatment. IME’s are known for not recognizing obvious injuries that result from motor vehicle accidents. In 25 years of Minnesota practice, I have seen many patients sent to IMEs by insurance companies.

On one occasion, I was able to witness the truth about Minnesota’s insurance companies and IME’s. I presented a talk to the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association state convention. My topic was Whiplash Injuries. My presentation impressed an insurance adjuster who later contacted me. He wanted me to see a patient, my role as an IME. After I examined the patient, I wrote a detailed report outlining my findings. It stated that the patient had sustained serious injuries in the motor vehicle accident and needed continued care. I was never offered another patient by the adjuster. (It took me a while to be paid by my insurance company for the work I did.

Minnesota Insurance that covers no-fault services includes all the services mentioned under major medical insurance, plus some.

Chiropractic services are covered under Minnesota No-Fault. They include examinations, chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy. Your chiropractor must properly document your condition and prove that the treatments are related to injuries sustained in an auto accident. It should not be a problem to get your chiropractic services covered if this is done correctly.

Medicare

Medicare is a federally mandated benefit. However, Medicare benefits may be provided by a local insurance company. In both cases, Medicare does not cover chiropractic adjustments.

Although Medicare will not pay for chiropractic care if you visit a chiropractor, the doctor must still perform an examination in order to diagnose Medicare. Medicare won’t pay for an examination even though Medicare requires that a chiropractor conduct a thorough examination in order to diagnose a patient. This is because it is difficult to communicate to patients. If you have Medicare and visit a chiropractor, you can expect to pay for the examination at the first visit. Supplement to Medicare does not cover examinations. Supplemental to Medicare does not cover chiropractic adjustments that Medicare won’t pay.