Medicare beneficiaries may soon have access to chiropractic care thanks to a proposed bill introduced recently by U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL).
The Keep Your Chiropractor Act of 2015 would allow chiropractors to opt out of Medicare and continue seeing Medicare beneficiary patients on a private contract basis – something not currently allowed. The bill also would allow chiropractors, who choose to opt out of Medicare, to continue to treat Medicare patients through private contracts.
“This commonsense legislation will help ensure Medicare recipients in rural or medically underserved areas have access to the care they need,” Davis said. “Chiropractors are being forced to close their doors because of this unnecessary requirement, which further limits patients’ options. The government should not be in the business of telling Medicare patients, using their own money, where they can receive chiropractic care.”
Davis said many chiropractors are choosing to opt out of Medicare because they are limited to what services they can be reimbursed for and federal regulations associated with the Medicare program are too costly.
The Keep Your Chiropractor Act of 2015 would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow chiropractors to provide services through private contracts under Medicare.
Davis said by doing so, it would ensure access to chiropractic care for Medicare beneficiaries and protect small businesses in communities across the country.
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