Will My Health Insurance Cover Chiropractic Care?

"I'm thinking about seeing a chiropractor. Oh, but chiropractic isn't covered by health insurance, right?" Wrong! I get this question all the time. When someone is making the decision to choose chiropractic to take care of their health issue, they have to go through several decision processes.

First, will chiropractic help my problem? Typically, they are dealing with pain and aren't getting much help from other methods they've tried to resolve it. They may have tried over-the-counter pain medications, maybe even some stronger versions prescribed by their doctor. They may have bought a brace or support, changed their bed, or just tried to rest for awhile. Nothing's working.

Next they consider the location of the chiropractor. Are they close? Can I get to the office during their office hours? If this all fits, the person will eventually start to realize their is a cost involved and will start considering whether or not their insurance will cover all or at least part of the cost of going to see a chiropractor.

Does insurance cover chiropractic? In most cases, it does. There is not going to be "unlimited treatment for an unlimited time," but there will be some coverage. Most insurance will place two types of limitations on coverage; either they will limit the total dollar amount they will pay, or they will limit the total number of times you can visit the chiropractor in a given year.

Will the amount of insurance coverage be enough for all of your treatment? It really depends on what's wrong. Most health insurance is not set up to handle "wellness care," that is, treatment when you're already feeling pretty good. Health insurance is usually there to help in time of crisis. You have a heart attack, you've been involved in a car accident, or you back is so painful you can't get to work. That's a crisis.

The best way to find out if your insurance covers chiropractic and to find out what limitations are present, is to contact the office you want to go see. Many offices will verify your insurance benefits before you even go into the office. This way, you'll know what you're in for before you set foot in the door. Choosing your chiropractor only by your out-of-pocket expense is not usually the best way to find a doctor (or any service for that matter), but it's helpful to get as much information as possible.