 ACA Establishes New Acupuncture Codes
With assistance from representatives of the American Association of Oriental Medicine and the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has developed four new billing codes for acupuncture services. “The ACA takes a very proactive role in dealing with coding and reimbursement issues,” says Anthony Hamm, DC, chairman of the ACA’s coding and reimbursement committee. “We have worked diligently to ensure that ACA members may utilize the codes for services they provide like acupuncture. This is just the latest in a long list of recent accomplishments.” Previously, only two reimbursement codes were available for acupuncture services, which were billed once per visit. The four new codes, two for electrical acupuncture and two for needle acupuncture, allow billing of more than one 15-minute session. The new codes are as follows:
97810: Acupuncture, one or more needles; without electrical stimulation, initial 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient. 97811: Acupuncture, one or more needles; without electrical stimulation, each additional 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient, with reinsertion of needle(s). (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure.) 97813: Acupuncture, one or more needles; with electrical stimulation, initial 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient. 97814: Acupuncture, one or more needles; with electrical stimulation, each additional 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient, with reinsertion of needle(s). “This is yet another example of how the ACA, through its many channels, is providing doctors of chiropractic the basis to practice as broadly as they’d like under applicable state scopes of practice,” Hamm says. |
Misleading Statement to be Removed
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) have received confirmation that the Harvard Health Letter will replace a misleading statement about chiropractic spinal manipulation published in a recent promotional mailing.
“The brief item that appeared in our promotional mailing, while not incorrect, provides too little context to rule out your perception,” says Edward Coborn, publishing director of Harvard Health Publications, in his email to the ACA. “That was not our intent. But I understand your interpretation, and I do not want to leave the possibility for confusion. I have asked that we replace this item in our future promotional mailings.”
The anti-chiropractic statement was part of a “26 Revelations You Need to Know Now” promotional mailing and stated, “Did you know that about half the people who seek spinal manipulation from a chiropractor experience problems caused by the treatment?”
As a result of unwavering persistence, negotiations are now under way to rectify the statement in question. If the profession’s concerns are not resolved in a satisfactory manner, the ACA and the FCER plan to take the concerns to a higher level at Harvard.
Chiropractic Reduces Health Care Costs
A study from American Specialty Plans Inc of San Diego that compared 4 years of back pain claims has found that treating back pain is less costly with chiropractic care and acupuncture.
“No matter how we perform the analysis—whether we look at total costs to the health plan, lower back pain care, or musculoskeletal care—in each data set, the population covered for chiropractic had a lower overall cost to the health care plan than the population without access to chiropractic benefits,” says study coleader Douglas Metz, DC, chief health services officer at American Specialty Plans Inc. “We believe this study is the first to show that chiropractic care can be a cost-effective treatment option for back pain.”
The study, which appeared in the October 11, 2004 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, had found that when compared with doctor-only health care plans, chiropractic care cut the cost of treating back pain by 28%, reduced hospitalization among back pain patients by 41%, reduced back surgeries by 32%, and cut the cost of medical imaging—such as x-rays or MRIs—by 37%.
“The bottom line is that conservative management of back care is effectively performed by doctors of chiropractic,” Metz says. “In cases where medical intervention is needed, chiropractors are schooled to make appropriate referrals. It is a cost-effective option for back pain.”
 Chiropractic Student Loan Program Receives Funding from Congress
President Bush has signed into law legislation that includes a directive from Congress to provide $2 million in funding to expand and extend a program allowing DCs to participate in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) student loan repayment program.“This is a great victory, particularly for the chiropractic college students who are ready, willing, and able to serve in the NHSC,” says Jean Moss, DC, president of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) and the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. “This is a historic time on the campuses of our chiropractic colleges, with not only the new funding for the chiropractic program in the NHSC, but also the increasing role of doctors of chiropractic in the veterans and military health care systems, and the potential to end decades of anti-chiropractic discrimination in Medicare through the Medicare Chiropractic Demonstration Project.” In 2002, Congress approved legislation to establish a program to assess the impact of making chiropractic care more available in communities served by the NHSC. In 2003, under this program, eight DCs who had entered into employment contracts with eligible health care centers across the United States were selected to serve as the first chiropractors in the NHSC student loan repayment program and began receiving tax-exempt student loan reimbursements up to $25,000 per year to continue during a 2-to-3-year service. Following the selection of the eight DCs, NHSC officials announced that the program was closed and they would not be adding additional groups of DCs. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and the ACC protested this decision and worked together to overturn it. In March 2004, they gained support from Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa), Rep Charlie Norwood (R-Ga) and other pro-chiropractic leaders in Congress. Final approval by Congress was given December 6. “This is yet another important milestone in the ACA’s battle to ensure that chiropractic care is fully included in all federal health care programs,” says ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. “Doctors of chiropractic belong in the NHSC because we have a unique and important role to play in providing millions of Americans in underserved areas with the care they need. Thanks to Harkin and Specter, two great leaders who understand the value of chiropractic to the nation’s health care system, there will be new opportunities for DCs and better health care for patients.” |
 NUHS Offers New Degrees
National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) in Lombard, Ill, has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association to offer two new degrees: the Master of Science in Diagnostic Imaging and the Master of Science in Advanced Clinical Practice.The Master of Science in Advanced Clinical Practice is a fully accredited degree offered by no other chiropractic college. The degree grants the physician admission to advanced standing at most state-supported institutions. “The program enhances the recipient’s abilities in the realm of research and helps expand the critical thinking pool within our profession,” says Jeffrey Bergin, DC, dean of clinics at NUHS. According to Jeffrey Rich, director of NUHS, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, the Master of Science in Diagnostic Imaging degree significantly expands the research and teaching experience of the imaging residents and encourages ongoing chiropractic imaging research from the department. “The end product will be a doctor with a unique blend of scholarship and clinical imaging skills,” Rich says. |
New Law Bans Vaccines Containing Mercury
Under a new law, pregnant women and children younger than 3 in California will no longer receive vaccines containing more than a trace of thimerosal, a preservative in some vaccines that contain ethyl mercury.
“I believe that an abundance of caution merits the acceleration of the process already under way to remove thimerosal from the last few vaccines that contain it,” says Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Although scientific studies have failed to confirm a clear link, it is believed that mercury causes autism and other neurological disorders in children, in addition to numbness in fingers and toes, impairment of motor coordination and speech, drowsiness, memory problems, and tremors.
Vaccine producers have voluntarily reduced thimerosal levels in vaccines, except for Aventis Pasteur, sole supplier for flu inoculations for children younger than 2. Aventis expressed disappointment over the law and concern that it might discourage people from getting flu shots for kids.
“Any time we can reduce public exposure to mercury or any other neurotoxin, and there is an alternative readily available, we should be promoting the alternative,” says Assemblywoman Fran Pavley (D-Calif), the bill’s author.
According to news services, the law will take effect in July 2006.
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