Medicare announces demo project

Chiropractors have known about the Medicare chiropractic demonstration project for some time. And chiropractors in the four areas covered by the demo project have been learning how to submit claims and become reimbursed. Now Medicare has announced the project to Medicare recipients.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicard has announced in a press release the start of its two-year project to expand Medicare coverage of chiropractic services and determine the impact on satisfaction, use of services and costs for Medicare beneficiaries.

The press release explained that the covered services included medical, diagnostic and therapy services, including extraspinal manipulation or adjustment of a body part other than the spine, x-rays, EMG and nerve conduction studies, clinical lab tests, electrotherapy, ultrasound and evaluation and management services.

It also said that chiropractors would be able to order MRIs, CT scans, x-rays and clinical lab services and make referrals for physical therapy services.

The press release said that these expanded services would be available in Maine, New Mexico, the northern Illinois area (as well as one county in Iowa) and 17 counties in Virginia.

“Medicare currently only pays for a limited number of services from doctors of chiropractic, even though chiropractic services may be less costly alternatives to other types of medical care,” said CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan, MD, PhD. “By expanding chiropractic coverage in this demonstration, we are reducing out-of-pocket costs for seniors who visit chiropractors, and we will learn whether paying chiropractors for delivering these additional services can help improve health outcomes and keep Medicare costs down.”

CMS will hire an independent evaluator to assess the cost impact, utilization and beneficiary satisfaction under the demonstration.

Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/

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