Arlington, Va.—Following the resignation of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) today announced it will continue its efforts, without hesitation, to ensure doctors of chiropractic (DCs) and their patients are treated fairly and equitably with regard to the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and other key issues such as fully integrating DCs in new and emerging health care models.

“I applaud Secretary Sebelius for tackling a very difficult task and for the access her office has provided ACA,” said ACA President Anthony Hamm, DC. “We cannot waiver in our work; however, and we look forward to working with the new HHS chief as soon as that person is confirmed.”

President Obama is expected to nominate Sylvia Mathews Burwell, who currently serves as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for the top HHS post. While unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate for the OMB position, Burwell will undoubtedly face a tougher confirmation process on Capitol Hill this time, as political fallout from PPACA implementation continues.

“Making sure the all-important provider non-discrimination provision, Section 2706, of the Affordable Care Act is adhered to by insurers, and that chiropractic physicians are allowed to provide all covered services in Medicare that they are allowed to do under their state scope, are vital to the profession and our patients,” Dr. Hamm continued. “This work will be ongoing with current HHS staff and we expect no let-up during the change of leadership.”

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA), based in Arlington, VA, is the largest professional association in the United States advocating for more than 130,000 doctors of chiropractic (DCs), chiropractic assistants (CAs) and chiropractic students. ACA promotes the highest standards of ethics and patient care, contributing to the health and well-being of millions of chiropractic patients. Visit us at www.acatoday.org.

Abstract

Objective To model the effect on UK vascular mortality of all adults over 50 years old being prescribed either a statin or an apple a day.

Design Comparative proverb assessment modelling study.

Setting United Kingdom.

Population Adults aged over 50 years.

Intervention Either a statin a day for people not already taking a statin or an apple a day for everyone, assuming 70% compliance and no change in calorie consumption. The modelling used routinely available UK population datasets; parameters describing the relations between statins, apples, and health were derived from meta-analyses.

Main outcome measure Mortality due to vascular disease.

Results The estimated annual reduction in deaths from vascular disease of a statin a day, assuming 70% compliance and a reduction in vascular mortality of 12% (95% confidence interval 9% to 16%) per 1.0 mmol/L reduction in low density lipoprotein cholesterol, is 9400 (7000 to 12 500). The equivalent reduction from an apple a day, modelled using the PRIME model (assuming an apple weighs 100 g and that overall calorie consumption remains constant) is 8500 (95% credible interval 6200 to 10 800).

Conclusions Both nutritional and pharmaceutical approaches to the prevention of vascular disease may have the potential to reduce UK mortality significantly. With similar reductions in mortality, a 150 year old health promotion message is able to match modern medicine and is likely to have fewer side effects.

I.C. System, a family-owned accounts receivable management firm, recently launched a new chiropractor debt collection website highlighting the company’s 40+ years of chiropractic collection experience and industry expertise.

Sometimes, doctors wonder if utilizing chiropractic debt collection services are worth the time and money. Unlike other independent health care practitioners, chiropractors generally do not deal with massive delinquent debt loads because their services are traditionally affordable. Typically, the average debt chiropractic patients accrue is around $250.

You may be asking:

• Is it worth my time and money?
• Will this burn bridges with current patients and potential referrers?
• What are a couple hundred bucks in the grand scheme of things?

• Due diligence – Have you given your patients a fair opportunity to respond? Typically, the best practice to collect from an unresponsive patient is to leave two voicemail messages and send one (final) written notification concerning a delinquent account. After two weeks with no response, the assumption is that your patient is avoiding the situation and you are best served by utilizing a chiropractic debt collection agency.
• Count the cost – The debt has to be worth your investment. Discuss your situation with a certified chiropractic debt recovery professional to see if utilizing their services makes sense for your bottom line.
• Is this a new or perpetual problem? – If this is a first-time offense with a long-standing patient, then think twice about sending him or her to a chiropractic debt collection company prematurely. People usually have a good reason for falling behind, and this is especially true with patients who have proven their loyalty and timely payment ability in the past. On the other hand, if this is a new patient and you suspect that he or she may be predatory, then having a no-nonsense approach will probably serve you well.
• Was it your fault? If you didn’t set the tone, neglected to deliver proper expectations up front or were lackadaisical in your fee-for-service procedures, then can you really fault your patient for falling behind? In this situation, to save your reputation and credibility, use chiropractic debt collection help only after fully addressing the situation with your patient and giving him or her ample time to respond.

Chiropractor examining a charming woman's backDepartment Chair at Life University Lydia Dever tells the story of a situation in which a patient fell behind on a considerable amount of money and then just disappeared. Giving her the benefit of the doubt because this patient was a loyal patient in the past and didn’t seem too malicious in her actions, Dr. Dever forgave the debt and forgot all about it. Two years later, completely out of the blue, the patient came into the office and handed her a check for $300. She thanked Dr. Dever for her understanding and told her a touching story as to why she wasn’t able to pay. Evidently, the patient was so embarrassed that her bill got behind that she avoided the office, but after her account got current she resumed care. Does this sound like a referral source or what?

Of course, not every story ends with such a happy feeling, and you will be required to utilize chiropractor debt collection services at one point or another. This is particularly true for doctors who specialize in personal injury and high profile insurance claims. Thankfully, chiropractor debt recovery options are readily available to help in these situations so that you can focus on what you do best.

Nothing like stating the obvious, but the most effective way to keep your accounts from requiring professional chiropractor debt collection services is to prevent them from going delinquent in the first place! Easier said than done, right?

According to Life University Chiropractic Sciences Department Chair Lydia Dever, the key is to be proactive and not reactive. Owning and operating a private practice for the past decade, Dr. Dever has utilized chiropractor debt collection help only once in her career. “You need to make sure your patients pay every time they come into the office,” Dr. Dever says. “That way things don’t get out of control.”

Dr. Dever makes a good point. This is business, not charity. To keep your books up-to-date, you must assure that your patients pay their office visit fees before they leave every time. Being an industry deeply rooted in service, chiropractors are notorious for not being firm in this area. Subsequently, many doctors get taken advantage of, but this happens needlessly.

5 Steps to Ensure Payment

Of course, you can’t force anyone to do anything. When your patient attempts to laugh off their bill by saying, “Get ya next time,” simply don’t do it. Instead, employ these methods:

1. Transparency – Be upfront with your office fees and payment policies on Day 1 before you begin care. Over-communicate so you don’t miscommunicate. This way, everyone is on the same page before care begins, and patients understand that their account will be sent to chiropractic debt collections if they fall behind.
2. Staff support – Train your staff to be firm, but polite, in regards to settling an account before a patient leaves your office. Staff members are your gatekeepers and set the tone for your office. If they are no-nonsense about finances, your patients will respond accordingly.
3. Do not bill – Although some patients will request for you to send them a bill, don’t do it. If they forgot their wallet and have no way to pay, then (firmly, but politely) let them know that payment remittance is expected by the time of their next visit. If they try to pull the same thing next time, nip it in the bud right away. This person could be a predatory patient, and you don’t want him or her in your practice.
4. Be the authority – It may be easy to pawn off the “enforcer” role to your CA, but you are the doctor and it is your practice. Step up when needed and discuss with the situation with your patient next time he or she is in the office.
5. Having “The Talk” – First of all, be non-confrontational and gracious. Remember that people are innocent until proven guilty, right? People steer away from confrontation and you may lose them as a patient if you come off too strong. Your patients will generally have good reasons for what they do, so ask them why they didn’t pay their bill. For instance, you may end up learning that they are in dire financial straights and that they are willing to sign on to a payment plan.

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IC System Quick Facts

• For more than 40 years, Chiro Collect, Powered by I.C. System, has worked with hundreds of Chiropractic Practices nationwide, collecting millions of dollars on their behalf. I.C. System is a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ Rating.
• We are among just a few dozen agencies worldwide to be ”certified” for Best Practices through ACA International, The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, Professional Practices Management System (PPMS) program.
• We leverage comprehensive skip-tracing efforts to find “missing” patients.
• We offer Chiropractor Clients Online Tools to easily submit debts, view our work effort (number of letters mailed, number of calls made, etc.) on debts, report payments, and generate reports.

See more at: http://chirocollect.com/