(no subject)

[beanside]

So, Jess posted about this in her journal, but I thought I'd ask you all, too.

Here's the thing. We both started Chiropractic care around the same time, about six months ago. At that time, I was classified as a "stage four," meaning permanent damage, but they could minimize the pain. I was paying out of pocket, and concerned about expenses. At that time, they told me that it would be approximately 8 weeks of 3 times a week, then it would start to taper down. After about seven weeks, I mentioned it to my doctor, and that it wasn't helping during a visit. He checked me over and told me to stop because he was concerned about the adjustments shifting the bones around too much, and causing potential paralysis.

Jess, who has insurance, was classified as a "stage one." That's the lowest level. Her treatments weren't outlined as clearly, and here we are six months later, and she's still going 3 times a week. I haven't seen a whole lot of improvement, really. And now that she has her own electric muscle stimulator, that's one part of the treatment that's kinda redundant.

So, the question is: Does that sound like the doctor is taking advantage of a patient's "unlimited visits" insurance or not?

Comments

[deathangelgw.livejournal.com]

um....yeaaaaaaaaa definitely taking advantage. Especially if nothing is being helped. She might need to look into other things (which I believe she is) to help. I'd go down to once a week or whatever and if they guy bitches, ask him just how much he enjoys mooching off of insurance. ;) *hugs* I hate chiros like that...they give the rest of us alternative medicine people a bad name. :P

[eponin10.livejournal.com]

I kind of can't stop staring at your icon. *g*

[deathangelgw.livejournal.com]

LOL stare away!

[allyoops.livejournal.com]

Yes/no. It's possible that the chiro is taking advantage of her insurance, but at the same time it's also possible the chiro thinks she is returning because Jess feels treatment is still needed: why else would she come back three times a week for six months? It could be as innocent as miscommunication/incorrect assumptions. Since there's no clearly defined treatment plan option two rings as the one that's most likely the issue, possibly with a dash of willful ignorance. :|

[sixersfan.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, yes. It's one of the downsides of insurance. Sucks.

[brynwulf]

Yes.

And as I told her, please consider acupuncture for your pain management. I would love you guys always if you did.

[eponin10.livejournal.com]

*nods* I agree with everyone below. I spent a year in chiropractic care and ended up dropping it because I got more out of a good therapeutic massage from the local spa than I did from the doctor.

[guard-the-cards.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should change chiroprachters. My mom sees on like once a month and says it does wonders, so if you both aren't getting results from the same doctor, then I'd say that you should try a new one.

But yeah it seems like they are taking advantage.

[katzb101.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry that you hand Jess have been through this.

*hugs*

[sweill.livejournal.com]

I used to be an office manager for a chiropractor. If Jess is not feeling significant relief between visits than she needs to stop. It's a waste of money and time that way. When I worked for my Doc I got to the 'once a month' stage. It felt awesome getting 'cracked', I felt great for 3 1/2 weeks, and then my body said "It's time" and I'd get adjusted again. If she's not EXPERIENCING RELIEF, time for another modality.

[ctbn60.livejournal.com]

I worked for a chiropractor for several years. Jess seems to be going way too much now. Visits are supposed to decrease as the patient gets better. THis usually happens within a month or so. Especially if she was only stage one. Sounds odd to me.

[rachel-martin64.livejournal.com]

I can tell you that many years ago I worked for a health insurance company, and the perception in the industry was that chiropractors ripped off patients and insurance companies by prolonging treatments indefinitely, for years. That's why insurance companies tend to regulate chiropractic care very strictly.

The chiropractors seem to get people "hooked" on the necessity for treatments, such that patients start paying out of their own pocket when the insurance refuses to cover anymore. I saw people paying about $400 a month for chiro out of their own pockets; this was many years ago too, in less inflated dollars.

I had chiropractic for a neck strain, and I ended the treatment myself (to the displeasure of the chiropractor) when I felt good. The chiropractor never gave me an end date or any indication that I was making progress.

I would like to suggest that a good licensed massage therapist or acupuncturist could help in lieu of a chiropractor; also, your physician may be able to get you authorization for physical therapy.

[lapillus]

I'll repeat what I said in Jess's lj. Yes. And talk to her insurance about taking him off the list of certified providers; his kind of behavior is part of what gives chiro a bad name, which is too bad because there are modes and instances when it's very useful. But like any medical response dose, frequencey and proper diagnosis are key as are avoiding those out to take advantage of desperate people.

apropos of nothing

[(Anonymous)]

that sucks but maybe this doesn't:
http://thetyee.ca/Books/2008/06/06/BattlestarGalactica/

Made me think of you guys (show PT maybe, yes?).

[lunardreamed.livejournal.com]

I always lean towards wanting to say that no advantage is being taken, because so much of those kinds of rumors make it hard for people to get legitimate care options. Then, insurance denies chiro to people it could benefit because lookit, they're all quacks. But there are people who are taken advantage of so it's a frustrating situation.

However, this sounds wrong. SOMETHING should change: what the doctor is trying (you do one thing for a short period of time, and then you try something else), what he thinks is the problem, improvement, getting worse. SOMETHING. I agree with the comment that it could be miscommunication, but one visit should clarify that once and for all.

[ginger-sunshine.livejournal.com]

Either he's taking advantage or he's lazy. Any decent chiro, massage therapist or physio should be making notes about before and after each treatment to see if there's any improvement, and then comparing them when the patient comes back - especially if the patient is coming back three times a week, indefinitely. The easiest way to see if the chiro is doing what he's supposed to be doing is to request Jess's file. He's got 24 hours to cough it up and if he doesn't then there are all sorts of actions that you can take (reporting him to HIS insurance/association group is the most painless).

If it were me, I'd drop him faster then a rabid porcupine. Six months is a long time for that level of treatment, so he'd better have a really good reason for it.