August 2001

Patients Get Direct Access To Chiropractic Benefits

Seattle - A key provision of Washington State’s Patients’ Bill of Rights is now in effect, giving many health insurance subscribers direct access to their chiropractic health-care benefits.

“This new provision will give patients appropriate access to the chiropractic treatment they need and pay for,” said Lori Bielinski, government relations and membership director of the Washington State Chiropractic Association.

Until now, insurance subscribers with chiropractic benefits were required to pay for a visit to their primary-care physician to obtain a referral for such treatment. Now patients can access chiropractic care directly.

This provision applies only to health insurance plans with chiropractic benefits regulated by the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the Washington State Health Care Authority and Medical Assistance. This includes state employees and medical assistance subscribers whose coverage includes chiropractic services. This provision applies to policies that are new or renewed after July 1.

Direct access to chiropractic services does not cover employer self-insured, Taft Hartley (union-negotiated) or Medicare and Medicare-supplemental plans. Self-insured and Taft Hartley groups may include chiropractic benefits and offer direct access for those services when they purchase health insurance coverage for their employees.

Under the new law, subscribers still must use the preferred providers contracted by their health plan or network to utilize their chiropractic benefits.

“Direct access to chiropractic is not a mandated benefit.” Bielinski said. “Patients first must have benefits for chiropractic services for conditions covered by their health plan. The services covered by that insurance also must be within the chiropractic scope of practice. The Washington State Patients’ Bill of Rights eliminates the need for a prior referral to those services.”

Source: PRNewswire

Industry News from:
Chiropractic News from: