November 2005

ANJC objects to Aetna's amended fee schedule

The Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC) has raised objections to Aetna Insurance Company’s amended fee schedule of reimbursement rates.

In a letter to Andrew Allocco, Aetna’s senior vice president of network and provider services, ANJC Executive Director Sigmund Miller cited discrimination against chiropractors by the insurance company.

According to Miller’s letter, Aetna’s new fee schedule substantially reduces reimbursement for chiropractic manipulative treatment modalities while increasing reimbursement for other services. The letter says that reimbursement for chiropractic manipulative treatment services was reduced approximately 20 percent from the Medicare/Medicaid values, while Evaluation and Management Codes (used primarily by MDs) received significant fee increases, in some instances in excess of 100 percent.

The ANJC letter also points out that the schedule was not made available to DCs at the same time it was to doctors in other provider classes. The schedule was made available online to most providers on September 1, 2005, but was not made accessible to chiropractors until the following month.

By making Aetna aware of the disparities in its new fee schedule the ANJC hopes that Aetna will review and correct its reimbursement practices. However, if Aetna does not take action, the ANJC in its e-newsletter to members said its board will meet to “determine what further action is warranted to protect the chiropractors of New Jersey.”

Source: Association of New Jersey Chiropractors, www.anjc.info

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