Integrating chiropractic in managed care

Alternatives to traditional health care are emerging as an important element in the mix of services offered by managed care plans. Integrating these nontraditional services, such as chiropractic, presents special challenges for plan managers. ChiroNet, an Oregon-based chiropractic specialty PPO network, has formed partnerships with a variety of managed care plans bringing managed chiropractic services to the PPO, EPO, and HMO environments. Practical experience with benefit design, access protocols, utilization management, quality assurance, provider credentialing, and administrative integration has been developed over the period of the network's cooperation with its managed care partners. Successful integration of these nontraditional provider groups depends on alignment of goals and incentives among all players in the system, including providers, their network, the patients, and the managed care plan.