Insurers Meet with ACA to Improve Relations

Continuing to build an infrastructure between the insurance industry and the chiropractic profession, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) recently participated in the latest in a series of conferences with leaders of several major insurance groups.

Known as the Claims Solutions Work Group (CSWG), the conference was held in Chicago, and featured senior-level executives of the ACA, the National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII), Shelter Insurance, Farmers Insurance, Allstate, national and state BlueCross BlueShield, General Casualty Insurance, AAA, Erie Insurance Group, American Family Insurance and Metropolitan Life Insurance, among others.

Hosted by NAII, the meeting marked the sixth time ACA has participated in a CSWG conference since 1999. Expanding upon breakthroughs achieved from past CSWG meetings, the participants discussed chiropractic reimbursement issues, developed joint projects that will support a better relationship between insurers and doctors of chiropractic, and identified priorities for the coming year.

Specific problematic billing codes were also discussed, including extra-spinal CMT, neuromuscular reeducation, testing and measurement codes, massage, hot packs, manual therapy (97140) and E/M codes with CMT. Many insurers reportedly agreed to review their practices and those of their business partners as they relate to these codes.

ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC, has reportedly noticed continued, dramatic improvement in the communication and cooperation between payers and doctors of chiropractic as a result of the CSWG conferences. “In four short years the participants of the Claims Solutions Work Group have constructed a bridge between insurers and chiropractors that did not previously exist. The ACA is proud to be a part of this most important program.”

According to Paula Pfankuch, a senior manager with BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, the meeting “really turned out to be a great day.” Pfankuch added that BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois is “on board” and plans to participate in the next Claims Solutions Work Group meeting in the Spring.

The next in the series of CSWG conferences is scheduled for March 3, 2004, in conjunction with ACA’s annual National Chiropractic Legislative Conference (NCLC) in Washington, DC.