California Bill Could Push Chiropractors out of Workers' Compensation
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by: DrTirpak posted: August 27, 2012
California’s Workers compensation program is about to face an overhaul bill in the last days of the legislative session. The SB 863 bill, still unavailable for public viewing, is the mastermind of a small group of labor unions and large employers including grocery store chain including Safeway Inc. and the Walt Disney Co. The top of the list for attack - Injured Workers and Chiroprators.
Since spring big busineess and labor unioiins have been working on language for bills that would cut the costs of the $16-billion-a-year workers' compensation system. The proposed changes would increase benefits for disabled workers by about $700 million, save employers twice that amount, while cutting benefits for Chiropractors and medical treatment.
Attorneys, Doctors and Injured Workers groups have not been allowed in on the discussion of the overhaul. The only published information about SB 863 includes 45 points of proposed amendments. The most striking to chiropractors includes eliminating the Qualified Medical Examination (QME) Evaluators exam for Chiropractors, requiring DCs to pass the medical QME exam. Currently besides the exam California Chiropractors are required to have 300 hours of post grad education to even qualify. Chiropractors that have treated a patient for 24 visits cannot serve as the treating primary physician. It will establish a Independent Medical Review system for resolving health insurance disputes, and eliminate the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board authority over those claims. Reimbursements currently under Official Medical Fee Schedule (OMFS) will be replaced by lower paying Medicare RBRVS.
The California Chiropractic Association, CCA, in a press release dated August 21, 2012: Doctors of Chiropractic provide effective cost- efficient care without the use of drugs or invasive surgeries and should be in any health care system focused on prevention and wellness. Some patients, such as firefighters and police officers need ongoing chiropractic care to stay on the job, but the cost for those visits is among the lowest charged by most health care providers. In fact, data from recent Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) economic reports show cost increases in California’s workers’ compensation system actually stem from increased diagnostic testing and use of prescription drugs and addictive pain killers; which are not, in any way, part of the doctor of chiropractic scope of practice.
To be heard and take a stand for Injured Workers and their right to access Chiropractic treatment write a email or make a call provided by the CCA.