Does Medicaid Cover Chiropractic?

Does Medicaid Cover Chiropractic Does Medicaid Cover Chiropractic

Does Medicaid Cover Chiropractic – Overview

The topic of Medicaid’s chiropractic care coverage extent is unnerving for patients in need of the services of a chiropractor. After all, why wouldn’t Medicaid pay for your chiropractic care if it would end up saving the program money in the long run?

Medicaid coverage for chiropractic care depends on the US State you reside in. Your State of residence will determine what will and will not be paid for chiropractic care. Each state has its list of eligibility requirements for chiropractic care.

This is because Medicaid is a state-by-state program, and thus it is governed for the most part by state laws rather than federal laws. However, more than ever, US States are starting to see the significance of paying for chiropractic care because spinal issues are rising.

Also, Medicaid saves money by paying for your chiropractic care when the spinal issue is relatively new and not as serious rather than waiting for when you require expensive pain medication or even an emergency room for treatment.

What is Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractic care is a procedure in which a qualified physician or a chiropractor uses their hands or a small device to apply a controlled and swift force to a spinal joint. The objective of this procedure is to enhance spinal movement and improve the body’s physical purpose.

The reasoning behind chiropractic care is that aligning the spine will let the body heal itself without needing drugs or surgery.

Manipulation is used to reinstate movement to joints limited by muscle damage caused by traumatic events such as sitting without proper back support.

Chiropractic care is mostly used as a pain reprieve alternative for bones, muscles, joints, and connective tissue such as tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Chiropractic care is sometimes used on a patient alongside routine medical care.

Who Qualifies for Chiropractic Care Under Medicaid?

Does Medicaid Cover Chiropractic

Does Medicaid Cover Chiropractic – Who Qualifies for Chiropractic Care Under Medicaid

As a Medicaid enrollee, you must present your Medicaid ID card before any services are rendered. The ID card is meant to verify your eligibility for a particular healthcare service covered by Medicaid. So, who qualifies for chiropractic care under Medicaid?

  1. Chiropractic care is deemed a mandatory benefit under Medicaid for persons under EPSDT (Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis Treatment), typically pregnant women in their third trimester or children who are six years and older.
  2. Chiropractic care is only offered to a patient of 21 years and above if a qualified physician approved by Medicaid deems the treatment necessary. Medicaid won’t pay for more than one treatment per day per person.

Which Chiropractic Care Services Are Covered by Medicaid?

Under Medicaid, Chiropractic care services are paid for when deemed medically necessary by a physician approved by Medicaid.

These include exams and diagnoses to influence the neurophysiological function of the spine region, including spinal X-ray procedures.

Some of the chiropractic treatments covered under Medicaid include:

Chronic Back Pain

Chiropractic care might be the best treatment option for you if you’re experiencing chronic back pain. Various chiropractic care cures can assist you in handling chronic pain in your back, such as a herniated disc.

Chiropractors are trained to examine and diagnose MSD (musculoskeletal disorder) conditions, and they will recommend a treatment plan or refer to another specialist such as a surgeon.

Some of the treatments Medicaid pays for chronic back pain include spinal mobilization and spinal manipulation.

Neck pain

Chiropractic neck adjustments, also known as cervical spine manipulation, are intended to loosen up the joints in the neck’s cervical vertebrae.

This can decrease the pain caused by muscle spasms, pinched nerves, strains, and other causative aspects. Most of the time, neck pain is caused by poor posture when sitting or sleeping and age-related wear and tear.

Spinal X-Rays

Medicaid covers spinal X-rays when the procedure is deemed medically necessary, among other requirements. The procedure is limited to one lateral and one anteroposterior view of the whole spine.

For Medicaid to pay for your spinal x-ray, at least one of the following conditions must be met:

  1. Current severe or intense trauma where there may be a question concerning fracture or avulsion of spinal subluxation.
  2. Pre-existing or chronic illnesses that other qualified physicians have treated without any long-term success.
  3. When there is a malignancy or pathology detected, precautionary spinal x-rays can be covered when medically necessary.
  4. If there’s a symptom of a pre-existing malignancy in the diagnosis of a patient.
  5. If a patient has been under long-term spinal treatment with no lessening symptoms.

Which Chiropractic Care Services Aren’t Covered by Medicaid?

Except for the services illustrated above, Medicaid will not pay for any other examination, diagnostic or treatment services provided by a chiropractor, whether approved or not.

Do You Need Prior Authorization for Medicaid to Cover Your Chiropractic Care?

If you qualify for Medicaid coverage, you are allowed a maximum of 12 visits to a chiropractor in a calendar year.

Extra visits must be accompanied by a written prior authorization from the authorization unit in your local Medicaid office.

If you don’t get prior authorization from your local office, Medicaid won’t pay for your chiropractic care services.

However, there are exceptions to this rule if you provide appropriate documentation, if the service provided is emergent or if you are retro-eligible for care services.

Retroactive eligibility is three months before the month in which a Medicaid application is filed, during which you can be eligible for Medicaid coverage as determined by your local Medicaid office.

Also, note that care services must be completed within the period stated by the prior authorization document; otherwise, Medicaid won’t pay for the services rendered.

Final Thought

If you visit a chiropractor for chronic back and neck pains, you can get treatments such as spinal manipulation, and Medicaid can pay for them depending on the state you reside in.

However, chiropractic care is a mandatory Medicaid benefit for pregnant women in their third trimester and children aged six or lower. To check if your plan can pay for chiropractic care, visit your local Medicaid office to learn more.

Medicaid Chiropractic Coverage FAQs

What exactly does a chiropractor do?

A chiropractor is a spinal manipulation mechanic who manages to fix body pain issues in various parts, such as the neck, hands, hips, thighs, back, etc. By simple spinal adjustment, he can fix plenty of problems in the human body without going for invasive procedures.

How much does a chiropractor charge without insurance?

A single chiropractic visit might cost you somewhere around $100 to $150 depending on the state. The chiropractor's charge is different for different states. However, a typical charge per visit to a chiropractor in the US is $150.

Does Medical Insurance cover Chiropractic?

If not Medicaid, some medical insurance companies include Chiropractic treatments in their coverage. However, you have to pay additional premiums to top-up such services. Unlike the standard health premium plans, if you want coverage for such treatments, you will have to pay extra than the standard premiums to the medical insurance providers.

Is Chiropractor a Doctor?

Yes, a Chiropractor is a doctor but without the degree of a Medical Doctor. To become a licensed chiropractor, one has to complete a Doctor of Chiropractor degree. Once he has achieved the degree, he can start his practice as a chiropractor to treat patients with various body pain issues.

Why should you visit a Chiropractor?

A chiropractor helps reduce chronic pain from various body parts with invasive procedures. Chiropractic treatments are less expensive, require less time, and give effective results. If you suffer from chronic body pain, you must visit a chiropractor who can fix the issue with just one visit.

What are the terms and conditions for Medicaid to cover Chiropractors?

You can get chiropractic treatments through Medicaid in many states across the US, including New York States. Such states reimburse and enroll chiropractors for coinsurance and deductibles.

You will not get direct benefits for Chiropractic treatments under Medicaid or any other government-backed insurance plans.

What to do if you can’t afford a Chiropractor?

If you cannot pay for the chiropractor’s visits, you can follow some basic tricks to fix problems on your own. You can follow the below-given tricks to replace a chiropractor’s visits with no money.

Make sure to keep your back straight while bending, replace your office chair with a stability ball once a week, focus on building strength and flexibility by doing regular exercise, and add yoga to your daily life to fix many problems.

See Also

Does Medicaid Cover Braces?

Does Medicaid Cover Vision?

Does Medicare Cover Chiropractic?

I am a dedicated healthcare researcher and an enthusiast specializing in medical grants, medical education and research. Through my articles, I aim to empower healthcare professionals and researchers with valuable insights and resources to navigate these critical aspects effectively.

Having sharpened her skills as a validation manager in the fast-paced world of Cybersecurity over a decade, Andrea now applies her expertise to raise the standards of the fact-checking space. As a meticulous fact-checker, she diligently validates the claims presented in our articles, leaving no room for misinformation or ambiguity.

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