by Ray Foxworth, D.C., FICC •
President & Founder, ChiroHealthUSA •
Chiropractic Future has taken a significant step forward in advocating for chiropractic patients by developing and distributing three educational flyers addressing complex and often restrictive insurance policies. These resources are designed to help patients better understand and navigate high copayments, per-diem payment models, and prior authorization requirements—common barriers to receiving timely and affordable chiropractic care.
The Reality Behind High Copays
Many patients believe their insurance plan will significantly reduce their out-of-pocket expenses. However, in many cases, their chiropractic copayments are so high that they exceed the actual cost of care. This occurs because insurance companies set low reimbursement rates, resulting in “phantom benefits”—coverage that exists on paper but provides little real financial relief.
By understanding this issue, patients can better advocate for lower copays, seek alternative payment options, or explore direct-pay models that may be more cost-effective. Chiropractors can use this flyer to help patients recognize the true impact of their copayments and make informed decisions about their care.
The Impact of Per-Diem Insurance Models
Some insurance companies reimburse chiropractic care using a per-visit or per-diem model, restricting the care provided in a single visit. Instead of allowing chiropractors to deliver comprehensive treatment in one appointment, these models force patients to schedule multiple visits—each requiring additional copays—delaying recovery and increasing costs.
This educational flyer explains how these policies can negatively affect patient care and outcomes. By educating patients, chiropractors can encourage them to discuss these issues with their employers or insurance providers and advocate for more flexible reimbursement structures prioritizing their health.
The Burden of Prior Authorization
Prior authorization requirements create unnecessary roadblocks for patients seeking chiropractic care. Insurance companies often require pre-approval before covering chiropractic services, leading to delays, additional administrative burdens, and even worsening of conditions while patients wait for authorization.
This flyer educates patients on the tactics used by insurance companies to slow down access to care and provides actionable steps for pushing back. With this knowledge, patients can challenge excessive prior authorization policies, communicate with their insurers, and work alongside their chiropractors to seek coverage that allows them to get care when they need it.
The impact of these educational materials goes beyond individual patient awareness. Chiropractors now have a powerful resource to initiate discussions about fair insurance policies, ensuring restrictive policies don’t unfairly burden patients. Here’s how to make the most of these materials in your practice:
✅ Download the Flyers – Access the full set of resources at https://chiropracticfuture.org/about-us/workgroups/reimbursement/. Print copies for your office, email them to patients, or include them in your digital patient portal.
✅ Educate Patients – Make these flyers available in your waiting area, discuss them during patient visits, and encourage patients to use the information to engage with their insurance providers.
✅ Engage with Employers & HR Departments – Encourage patients to share this information with their HR departments when selecting insurance plans. The more people understand these policies, the more pressure employers can put on insurance companies to offer better chiropractic benefits.
✅ Advocate for Change – Use these resources to educate policymakers and legislators about the challenges patients face. Encourage patients to contact their representatives and demand fair insurance coverage for chiropractic care.
The Bigger Picture: Strengthening the Chiropractic Profession
These resources help create a stronger, more unified chiropractic community by educating patients and increasing awareness. When patients understand how insurance policies impact their care, they become advocates for change, pushing for improved coverage and fewer restrictions.
This is an opportunity for chiropractors to lead the conversation on insurance reform, ensuring that chiropractic services are valued, accessible, and fairly reimbursed. The more providers and patients speak up, the harder it will be for insurance companies to ignore these issues.
Chiropractic Future has provided the tools—now it’s time to use them. Download the flyers today, start the conversation in your office, and empower your patients to take control of their care.
Together, we can change the future of chiropractic insurance coverage—one informed patient at a time.
To learn more about Chiropractic Future, sign up for their newsletter today.
To donate to Chiropractic Future, click here!
▶︎ 
Why is the Discount Challenge prize amount $15,024? Because that is the average “per-occurrence” fine for Medicare inducements. That’s not $15,024 per patient, that’s not per provider, that’s PER VISIT. Stinks, doesn’t it? To us, the prize amount is worth the investment if we can help our profession better understand proper discounting.