Press release
Last year the legislature passed House Bill 1516, sponsored by Rep. John Wiemann, which added Chiropractic Physicians as providers under Mo HealthNet. The bill passed the House 137-4 and it passed out of the Senate 32–0 which showed strong support for offering alternative therapies for Missouri patients in MO HealthNet.
This legislation did not expand Medicaid nor does is require new funding; it simply added a provider for conditions already being treated in Mo HealthNet by other providers. Back pain is currently covered by Mo HealthNet and the cost of unnecessary surgeries, Emergency Room visits, and prescription drug is driving Medicaid cost up when chiropractic is a less expensive, and proven alternative method of care.
In the Governor’s budget request, he added chiropractic as a reimbursable service under MO HealthNet. While traditionally reimbursable providers are not listed out, it was important to list chiropractic so they would not be left out of the equation. This week, Budget Director, Rep. Cody Smith, dropped the Committee Substitutes for the Budget bills and he deleted Chiropractic from House Bill 11.
While technically HB 1516 does authorize Chiropractic Physicians to be reimbursed for services provided to Mo HealthNet Patients, removing them from the bill is an effort not to reimburse them for their services. Chiropractic will not only save the tax payer dollars, but it also provides alternative options for patients with proven, non-invasive, non-opioid driven results.
If the Missouri Legislature really is committed to reducing Medicaid spending, reducing the opioid epidemic, and providing alternative options for patients with proven results, then chiropractic should be added back in HB 11. Missouri HealthNet patients have been given the option to see Chiropractic Physicians by the legislature and the Budget Chairman should not be denying them access. Rep. Smith himself voted yes on bill last year.
