Chiropractic Saves 40% on Low Back Care
According to the ACA press on the Low Back Pain care study released November 16, 2010, (Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics), when care is initiated with a doctor of chiropractic, the average patient saves 40% health care cost as compared to care initiated through a medical doctor. The study featured data from 85,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield beneficiaries, and concluded that insurance companies that restrict access to chiropractic care for low back treatment most often would pay more than if they would remove such restrictions.
Up to 85 percent of Americans will have low back pain at sometimes in their lives, and accounts for an estimated $50 billion annually in health care costs. As a doctor of chiropractic, I have known this to be true for many years, as this is a study that has been repeatedly demonstrated over time with the same results. Its impact on current health care dollars simply reiterate in tough economic times that the average patient with low back pain perhaps cannot afford not to see a chiropractor.
Once again, with insurance costs escalating annually, and the terrible truth of limited benefits-unreasonable co-pays, deductibles, and limitations on health insurance policies, chiropractic allows for considerable value when or nation is attempting to reform its health care system and contain considerable costs.