Arizona Chiropractic Society eNewsletter

Breaking News      

April 2, 2011Newsletter Subtitle

Month Year
ACS Members benefiting from major additions to ACS webpage 
 

The first change has been a flow of new patients from the ACS search engine. Then there is the Auto Accident Medical Legal page which is a virtual PI low speed impact course specific to Arizona. Then check out the 58 very special member benefit documents, services and products, and  you will see that ACS membership more than pays for itself. 

 

To gain full access to all pages and documents, all you have to do is join or log in if you are a member. Join today and streamline your practice while supporting our lawsuit to restore insurance equality. It's as easy as clicking a button on the webpage which directs you to a secure online server. You can also donate in any amount to support the cause. Even $10-$25 per month makes a difference.

 

Members can always contact Dr. Immerman for the most current information and for personal assistance. Dr. Immerman does not see patients and works for ACS members full time. He has been licensed since 1980, practiced full time for 20 years, and has been President and Executive Director of ACS since its inception in 1991. Dr. Immerman is here to help you today. Just send an email to [email protected] or call (602) 368-9496.




Quick Links

Read entire full color PDF with breaking news about the BCBS, ASH, copays, lawsuits, Board, insurance equality and much more by clicking on this link.

Website with Full Info about ACS Attorney David Abney

ACS Four Point Plan to Deal With ASH


The Arizona Chiropractic Society is here to serve you!

ARIZONA
CHIROPRACTIC
SOCIETY
 
ACS Logo


3515 E. Carol Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85028
VOICE 602.368.9496
FAX 866.567.6762

[email protected]

 

Alan M. Immerman, D.C., ACS President and Executive Director
Alan M. Immerman, D.C., ACS President and Executive Director
CHIROPRACTIC BOARD MAY INTERVENE IF ASH DENIES NEEDED CARE AND PATIENT WELFARE AND SAFETY HAVE BEEN PUT AT RISK

 

ACS believes that ASH routinely denies medically necessary services such as the full number of spinal manipulations needed, the full amount of physical medicine required, medically necessary x-rays and MRIs on certain patients, and much more. ACS believes these denials by ASH result in harm to public health, welfare and safety. ACS brought this issue to the attention of the Arizona Chiropractic Board and asked if the Board might have the authority to get involved. The Board's response was quite positive. Here is part of the Board's response. The full letter from the Board is posted at http://www.azchiropractors.org/pages/ARIZONA-BOARD-OF-CHIROPRACTIC-EXAMINERS.php

"However, the Board noted that if practitioners can produce documentation of specific incidences when a patient's welfare and safety has been put at risk or patient harm has occurred due to the screening practices, it could review that documentation to determine if there are any actions under its jurisdiction that could be taken."

 

The "screening practices" referred to are screening for clinical necessity according to the Board's letter. This means that if ASH "screens" your patient's care and denies x-rays or treatment and as a result of the denial "your patient's welfare and safety has been put at risk or patient harm has occurred," you should immediately file a complaint against ASH with the Arizona Chiropractic Board. Be sure to print out and attach a copy of the Board's letter from the ACS webpage. File as many complaints as you can possibly find a legitimate basis to file against ASH and any other "screeners" who prevent you from providing all of the medically necessary care needed by your patients. This is great news that the Board is willing to protect public health, welfare and safety against possible abuses by ASH and its cohorts.

EXPLAINING THE COUNTS IN THE ACS ADOI LAWSUIT 

 

     The 13 page lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Insurance (ADOI) is complicated to read and decipher and so we thought we would distill the key points down to a few paragraphs for you. Now you be able to clearly see how valuable this lawsuit is to the survival of chiropractic, the welfare of your patients, and your practice. Here is a brief explanation of each of the counts in the ACS ADOI Lawsuit. The case number is CV2011-093099 and you can track the progress online through the Maricopa County Superior Court system at http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/CivilCourtCases/

 

      The future of health insurance coverage for chiropractic in Arizona depends on the outcome of this lawsuit. John A. Amaro D.C., President of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture and a 30 year Arizona resident, wrote the following letter dated 03/07/11 to ACS: 

 

Alan, you possess what it will take to save this profession.  I am humbled by your dedication, intelligence, drive, persistence and passion.   There are unfortunately very few of you in our profession in a leadership capacity. You are in a definite league of your own and your ability to surround yourself with dedicated doctors is legendary. All the very best my friend you are to be admired as are the doctors who have heeded your call. John 

 

Count One

 

Failing to prohibit insurers from applying copayments and deductibles in a manner that does not discriminate against the usual and customary treatment procedures of chiropractors. BCBS has defended this practice in the past by stating that chiropractors are specialists and so the specialist copay rightfully applies, but now BCBS no longer categorizes chiropractors as specialists and so this defense no longer applies. ACS is demanding that copays and deductibles for chiropractors be set at PCP levels.

 

Count Two

 

Failing to require insurers to apply cost containment measures, in this case preauthorization, equally to MDs, DOs and DCs. Under ASH, DCs must get preauthorization to treat patients. BCBS does not require MDs and DOs to get preauthorization to treat the same patients.

 

Count Three

 

Approving BCBS's retention of American Specialty Health (ASH) even though ADOI knows, or should know, that ASH has a long history of not covering all reasonable and necessary chiropractic care including the total number of necessary visits and the total number of services per visit.

 

Count Four

 

Approving BCBS insurance policies which have

exclusions that apply only to chiropractic care but not to care rendered by MDs and DOs. This results in no coverage for chiropractic care of chronic pain patients whose function is not expected to improve, whereas there is coverage for MD and DO care of such patients.

 

Count Five

 

Allowing BCBS to engage in consumer fraud by advertising that it covers all medically necessary chiropractic care but then paying only $4 of a total visit reimbursement amount of usually $44 ($26 for a spinal manipulation and $18 for physical medicine). This is an illusory benefit that deceives the public and defrauds BCBS' customers.

 

Count Six 

 

Failing to prohibit BCBS from creating designations such as specialist, PCP and chiropractor for copay and deductible purposes that do not discriminate against the usual and customary procedures of chiropractors. The current designations do create this exact form of discrimination.

 

      When we win, health insurance coverage for chiropractic will be fully restored in Arizona. 300 Arizona chiropractors have determined that is a cause worth investing in with their ACS dues and $500 lawsuit donation checks. More doctors are joining and donating all the time. This is the cause to support, and now is the time.  

THE LEGAL MINDS BEHIND THE LAWSUIT

  

    The legal minds behind the ACS litigation are attorneys David Abney and Frederick R. Berry, Jr. These attorneys are considered foremost in their field in Arizona by their peers. Click here and here to read their biographies and list of prominent cases that they have won over the years. Click here to read Mr. Berry's letter to the Attorney General. A lawsuit is only as strong as the attorneys litigating it. ACS researched at great length and then picked the best. In contrast, another Arizona chiropractic association uses Attorney David Morrison exclusively for legal opinions even though according to Lawyers.com, his practice is limited to plaintiff's personal injury law, accidents and wrongful death law, with no mention of any expertise in insurance law which is the basis of the ADOI lawsuit.

    

     Doctors can now join ACS or donate online in any amount using our online secure server to support the ACS lawsuit. If ASH is allowed to take over health insurance in Arizona, it will spell the virtual end of health insurance payments to chiropractors. If the ACS lawsuit is successful, full health insurance coverage will be restored. Fund the lawsuit and protect your future. Tell your friends!

WILL YOU ACCEPT THE BCBS ASH LIMIT OF 6.5 VISITS PER PATIENT OR WILL YOU FIGHT? 

   

     If your answer is "unfair limits no, fight yes," then you have come to the right place. Support the ACS litigation by joining or donating. Also, file complaints against ASH with the Attorney General (click here for AG complaint instructions) and with the Arizona Department of Insurance (click here for ADOI complaint instructions). If you don't like the status quo, it is axiomatic that you must do something to change it. ACS is leading the way. We are the only Arizona association with any battle plan, and a vigorous multipronged one it is. You want change? Then join us and take action. Change and action are what ACS is all about.

ACS LAWSUIT GARNERS NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION