The Role of Insurance Coverage in the Fernandina Beach Back Surgery or Non-Surgical Care Choice

“Back surgery is one of the most overused types of surgery as well as the most common ailment that sends patients to doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists,” conveys Crain’s Detroit Business magazine’s article titled Health Insurers Look for Ways to Cut Costs with Back Surgery. What a way to open an article! It goes on:

• $90 billion on low back pain alone annually
• 1.2 million spinal surgeries annually
• $60,000 to $110,000 per lumbar fusion surgery (the fastest-growing type of surgery in the past 10 years)

The back surgery failure rate, the so-called “failed back syndrome” or the more “politically correct” term “post-surgical continued pain syndrome,” is as high as 50%. (1) With healthcare spending in the US exceeding $3.5 trillion - $10,739 per person – it is no wonder that insurers seek another way to cut costs, especially when one-third of the money goes to hospital care of chronic illnesses. (2) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is well-trained and confident in offering non-hospital-based care to help Fernandina Beach back pain – chronic and acute – patients get relief of and handle their back pain – as well as post-surgical continued back pain - without surgery.

LOW BACK PAIN FACTS

Low back pain is the foremost reason of years lived with disability around the world. Today, guidelines for low back pain relief care discourage pain medications, steroid injections and spine surgery and encourage physical therapy and psychological therapy. Healthcare systems have a tendency to struggle with these new approaches. Why? Pharmaceutical companies’ financial interests, old payment systems that favor medical care, outdated traditions, and legal, personal, political, and societal beliefs of us all. These notions are presented in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, believe it or not. (3) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic reads this with interest.

BACK SURGERY CHOICE

Considering these facts, it’s not hard to believe that some back pain sufferers will decide on back surgery over non-surgical care of their back pain. “Patients go where insurance pays, even if it is surgery.” In one study, back pain sufferers chose to see a primary care physician (PCP) or physical therapist (PT) or chiropractor first because of their health plan type, co-payment, and deductible. Modifying these things to make them more valuable/less expensive/less restrictive as to provider type might well inspire low back pain sufferers to pick non-hospital, conservative treatment instead of back surgery. (4) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is all for this! Less than 1% of back pain sufferers must have back surgery. (5) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is ready to assist the remaining 99% of the Fernandina Beach back pain sufferers cope with their back pain and adapt their lifestyles to live with the spine they have and deal with its episodes of pain and relief.

RECURRENT BACK PAIN

Fernandina Beach back pain sufferers are in good company if their back pain comes back. It happens. It’s controllable. It is manageable. Some data first: Within a year of recovery, 69% of patients had another episode of back pain of some sort. Awkward postures, long sitting times, and more than 2 prior back pain experiences trigger the risk of back pain recurrence. (6) It is ok though. Really! Amelia Chiropractic Clinic helps Fernandina Beach back pain patients navigate these recurrences and manage them so they don’t limit anyone’s enjoyment of life.  We have a treatment plan!

CONTACT Amelia Chiropractic Clinic

Listen to Dr. Kimble Cater on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson discuss how he helped an expectant mother with her repeated episodes of back pain. Whether you are pregnant or not, Fernandina Beach chiropractic care at Amelia Chiropractic Clinic can help you deal with repeated episodes of back pain, too.

Schedule a Fernandina Beach chiropractic appointment at Amelia Chiropractic Clinic for back pain relief. Our care is not overused!  The gentle, effective, evidence-based system of Cox® Technic seeks 50% relief within 4-6 weeks of care and often gets 70%, 80%, 90% and more for many of our patients at less cost – in terms of finances and lifestyle – than back surgery.