Yes, chiropractic care is covered by the blue-cross-blue shield if you are considering chiropractic treatment, but with some limitations. Take a look here for in-depth details.
What is chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care is like fixing a problem with your car’s wheel alignment. Just like your car’s wheel alignment, your body can experience this too! When your bones and muscles are not in line, it can cause pain and problems.
Chiropractors are like mechanics for your body. They use special hands-on techniques to move your bones and muscles back into the right place. This helps to reduce pain, improve your movement, and make you feel better overall. Chiropractors find the source of the problem and work on it; once the problem is addressed and fixed, it is less likely to recur.
Chiropractic care can be helpful for lots of things, like adjusting the back, neck, or spine, and even some sports injuries. It is also used for reducing joint pain, muscle pain, frequent muscle spasms, and chronic muscle pain. It is commonly used to reduce neck and back pain. Overall, it is used for reducing pain, correcting alignment problems, treating injuries, and other musculoskeletal issues. Often, in chiropractic care, discussion related to diet, nutrition, exercise, habits, and lifestyle also helps to reduce the overall problem of the individual by adjusting the overall lifestyle.
So, if you are experiencing pain in the lower back, neck, joint pain, muscle pain, frequent muscle spasms, etc., you can visit a chiropractor because it’s a safe and natural way to feel better or reduce or remove the problem without having to take pills or have surgery.
Of course, it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any new treatment, including chiropractic care. They may help you to decide if it’s right for you and suggest a good chiropractor.
But if you are thinking about the cost of chiropractic care and if you have insurance, you don’t know whether it is covered by insurance or not. Let’s take a look below.
Insurance covers chiropractic care?
Yes, chiropractic care is covered by the Blue Cross-Blue Shield. Not only this, but other insurance providers like Medicare, specific Medicaid plans, Aetna, United Healthcare Humana, Cigna, etc. also provide coverage for chiropractic care because it’s an effective, cheaper than other treatments, natural, and non-surgery process that is well known throughout the world and the US.
However, the extent of coverage varies widely depending on your specific plan. I am talking about specific plans because policies can vary from user to user, and plan limitations may exist according to your plan and your previous activity.
Now you will say, What are those limitations?
Limitations can be like this:
- You can go for chiropractic care a limited number of times within a certain time frame.
- Coverage may be given when there is an active treatment plan. (Active treatment means when the treatment is improving the condition.). Short-term care may be provided but insurance provider generally not pay for maintenance visits or long-term care plans.
- You may need to use only in-network or approved chiropractors.
- Dollar limits. ( a limit on money allotment within a time frame)
- You may need pre-authorization or referral requirements (referral means you may need to obtain a referral for chiropractic treatment from your regular primary physician in which they write—this is a medical necessity treatment.). Then only after coverage starts for that. For this, you can simply schedule an appointment with your doctor and tell them that you need chiropractic care.
- Certain conditions and services, such as maintenance programs, may not be covered by your BCBS plan.
- Some BCBS plans may cover diagnostic images like X-rays, but coverage is often limited.
- Some may need to submit deductibles (a small amount of money that you have to pay), and then only your coverage starts paying.
So, if there is any limitation on your insurance policy, then make sure you are aware of that; otherwise, after exceeding the limitation, you may need to pay out-of-pocket costs. . You can find out all the details about your plan by contacting your insurance provider or reading the insurance plan documentation.
Cost of chiropractic care
Ranges between 60-300$ or more per visit without insurance. However, price depends on many factors.
Roadmap for getting coverage
Before scheduling a visit to a chiropractor, you can keep this in mind.
- Understand the terms and limitations of your policy. Read the limitations and overall policy of your own plan. You can call your insurer directly. Understand these terms:
- Deductible: A small amount you have to pay to start getting coverage.
- Copay: This is a fixed amount you pay for each chiropractic visit.
- Look for a chiropractic office that accepts this type of coverage and is an in-network chiropractor to maximize coverage and minimize out-of-pocket costs. You can ask your primary doctor for an in-network chiropractor.
- You can go to a chiropractor’s office only when your primary doctor suggests chiropractic care as a medically necessary treatment. means you may need to obtain a referral from your primary doctor for chiropractic treatment.
- Contact the chiropractor’s office to schedule an appointment. If your plan requires pre-authorization, work with the chiropractor’s office to obtain it from your insurance provider.
- Attend your appointment and provide the necessary documentation.
- Bring your insurance card and any other required documentation to your appointment.
- Discuss your chiropractic needs and treatment options with the chiropractor.
- Ask about their billing practices and fees.
- Submit claimsand bills.
- The chiropractor’s office will typically submit claims to your insurance provider for covered services.
- You may be responsible for any deductibles, copays, or non-covered services.
- Keep copies of all bills and receipts for your records.
FAQ
Q. Why do many insurance companies not cover maintenance care?
When the treatment is improving the condition, then it is considered active care, and if the treatment is not improving the condition, then that treatment is no longer effective and can be considered maintenance care, and in this condition, you may require some other treatment option. That’s why insurance companies do not provide coverage for maintenance.
Q: What if my BCBS plan doesn’t cover chiropractic care?
Ask the chiropractor about payment plans or discounts.
You can also talk to your doctor, even if your plan does not support chiropractic care.
Still If no one is helping, go for treatment and pay with your own pocket because life is more important than money.