Chiropractic Action Plan

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Chiropractic Action Plan

• S.1955

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Website

• www.protectchiropractic.com

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S. 1955

• Basic Option
• The health insurer may offer a coverage plan in
  the small group market, individual market, large
  group market, or through a small business health
  plan that does not comply with one or more
  mandates if the insurer also offers an enhanced
  option.

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S.1955

• Enhanced Option
• An insurer issuing a basic option shall also
  offer an enhanced option which shall at a minimum
  include such covered benefits, services and
  categories of providers as are covered by a state
  employee coverage plan in one of the five most
  populous states.

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• Mandate Exclusion
• This law shall supercede any and all state
  laws insofar as such laws relate to benefit
  service or provider mandates in the health
  insurance market .with respect to coverage
  issued to a small business plan.

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Rollout of the Law

• The first 90 days
• The Secretary publishes a list of benefits,
  services and categories of providers by the state
  employee plans in the 5 most populous states
• The first 6 months
• The secretary issues rules for the Benefit
  Choice Standards

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Rollout of the Law

• 1 year
• Initiation for small business health plans
• 15 months
• Initiation for groups or individuals that are
  not small business

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The Consequences of Defeat

• To win this battle we cannot take anything for
  granted because no one is looking out for the
  chiropractic profession except us.
• If we are not willing to set aside our lives to
  defeat this bill, then our lives will change in a
  way, which for many, is unimaginable.

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The Consequences of Defeat

• The Marketplace Response
• Health insurers will sell stripped down
  insurance policies to
• Individuals
• Small businesses
• Associations
• You

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The Consequences of Defeat

• Managed care will
• Offer a basic benefits option
• Require MD referrals
• Expand physical therapy
• Set caps on services
• Raise premiums on chiropractic services
• Intensify quality assurance measures

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The Consequences of Defeat

• Employers will
• Gradually react to marketplace changes
• Determine that full chiropractic benefits are
  not necessary
• Reduce or eliminate chiropractic benefits
• Add non-chiropractic gatekeepers
• Take the position that chiropractic is not really
  a necessary service

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The Consequences of Defeat

• Patients will
• Initially not see a difference in benefits
• Become angry as benefits are cut
• Not complete treatment plans
• Face complications due to truncated care
• Take more CA time on benefits
• May try alternatives like PT

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The Consequences of Defeat

• States will
• Offer basic benefits plan to save money
• Will re-consider chiropractics role in workers
  compensation
• Consider new laws in PI WC as abuse escalates

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The Consequences of Defeat

• Chiropractic colleges will
• Experience an immediate impact on applications
• See a drastic decline in enrollments over time
• Lose alumni financial support
• See a dramatic consolidation

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The Consequences of Defeat

• Chiropractic organizations will
• See an initial surge of support
• Begin to lose members as political activity to
  over turn law is unsuccessful
• Face major financial difficulties as their
  members income drops and DCs can no longer
  afford to support the organization or their
  political PACS

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The Consequences of Defeat

• The profession will
• Not experience much of an impact for the first
  year
• Begin to see the financial effects of benefit
  changes in 18 months
• Experience significant decline in income around
  year 3
• Experience drastic decline in income by year 5

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The Consequences of Defeat

• The profession will
• See gradual but significant increase in fraud and
  abuse
• Increase political activism
• Believe HSAs are a solution but will be proven
  wrong

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The Consequences of Defeat

• The profession will
• Attempt to expand the cash portion of their
  practice with limited success
• Lose ground to PTs as they try to expand their
  scope of practice because chiropractic will not
  have the resources to fight them.

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Doctor Involvement

• Many DCs have never contacted a legislator
• I dont like politics
• Im too busy
• Talk to my CA
• It takes too much time
• I dont have a fax machine

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Training Chiropractic Assistants

• Many CAs totally understand the importance of
  defeating this bill
• Key Training Points
• Patients will want to get involved
• It will not happen if the patient is not asked
• You must support the CAs effort

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Communications

• E-Mail Tree
• Activate your friends and patients in our fight
  against a very anti-chiropractic bill.
• Congress must be told
• Millions of Americans
• Do not want this law

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DC Communications

• Do not delay
• Fax machines on 24 hours a day
• Ask for patient involvement - carefully

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DC Communications

• Thank your CAs
• Thank your patients
• Stay Positive

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Legislative Communications

• Dont believe everything you hear
• This may be a 5 month battle
• Work until the vote is cast

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National Information Clearinghouse

• Our information will be
• Accurate
• Timely
• Insightful

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National Action Plan

• We have a responsibility to you
• We have a responsibility to other states
• Our only priority is to win!

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Winning

• This will be very hard work
• But we are going to win