The Role of Insurance Coverage in the Augusta 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,” reports Crain’s Detroit Business magazine’s article titled Health Insurers Look for Ways to Cut Costs with Back Surgery. What a way to begin an article! It continues:

• $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 decade)

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 over $3.5 trillion - $10,739 a person – it is no wonder that insurers seek another way to cut costs, particularly when one-third of the money goes to hospital care of chronic illnesses. (2) Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic is well-trained and knowledgeable in offering non-hospital-based care to help Augusta back pain – chronic and acute – patients find relief of and manage their back pain – as well as post-surgical continued back pain - non-surgically.

LOW BACK PAIN FACTS

Low back pain is the leading reason of years lived with disability globally. 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 are apt 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 Pharmaceutical companies’ financial interests, old payment systems that favor medical care, outdated traditions, and legal, personal, political, and societal beliefs of us all.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) Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic reads this with interest.

BACK SURGERY CHOICE

Considering these facts, it’s not hard to believe that some back pain sufferers will choose back surgery over non-surgical management of their back pain. “Patients go where insurance pays, even if it is surgery.” In one study, back pain sufferers made the choice 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 factors to make them more valuable/less expensive/less restrictive as to provider type could encourage low back pain sufferers to pick non-hospital, conservative treatment rather than back surgery. (4) Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic is all for this! Less than 1% of back pain sufferers must have back surgery. (5) Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic is ready to assist the rest of the Augusta back pain sufferers manage their back pain and rework their lifestyles to be with the spine they have and deal with its episodes of pain and relief.

RECURRENT BACK PAIN

Augusta back pain sufferers are not alone 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 experienced another episode of back pain of some sort. Awkward postures, long sitting times, and more than 2 prior back pain experiences spark the risk of back pain recurrence. (6) It is ok though. Truly! Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic helps Augusta back pain patients find their way through these recurrences and manage them so they don’t limit anyone’s enjoyment of life.  We have a treatment plan!

CONTACT Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic

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

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