ARTICLE
AUSTIN, MAY 24 – Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 1739, the Texas Chiropractic Association’s bill to end provider discrimination against Texas chiropractors. This landmark bill will prevent insurance companies from refusing to pay chiropractors for in-scope therapies and modalities if the insurer would pay a physician or physical therapist for the same treatment. SB 1739 includes tough penalties against insurers that violate the law – up to $1,000 per claim, per day. However, it does not require insurers to cover particular services and does not affect their right to determine whether a service is medically necessary. TCA developed this legislation, which was authored by Texas Sen. Jose Menendez, in response to complaints from chiropractors about insurance companies denying payment for therapy codes. Texas Rep. Eddie Lucio III sponsored the companion bill (HB 1410) in the Texas House. “This is a significant victory for Texas chiropractors and puts us on a more even playing field with other health care providers. However, those benefiting most are the patients who rely on chiropractic care,” said TCA President Devin Pettiet, DC, a chiropractor from Tomball, Texas. “On behalf of Texas chiropractors and thousands of chiropractic patients, we thank Sen. Menendez and Rep. Lucio for pushing this important legislation and Gov. Abbott for signing SB 1739 into law.” (l-r) TCA lobbyist Kaden Norton of StateCraft; TCA Secretary/Treasurer Mo Jahadi, DC; Sen. Jose Menendez; Hollen Meyer, DC; and TCA Executive Director Jeff Jenkins.
AUSTIN, MAY 24 – Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 1739, the Texas Chiropractic Association’s bill to end provider discrimination against Texas chiropractors.
This landmark bill will prevent insurance companies from refusing to pay chiropractors for in-scope therapies and modalities if the insurer would pay a physician or physical therapist for the same treatment.
SB 1739 includes tough penalties against insurers that violate the law – up to $1,000 per claim, per day. However, it does not require insurers to cover particular services and does not affect their right to determine whether a service is medically necessary.
TCA developed this legislation, which was authored by Texas Sen. Jose Menendez, in response to complaints from chiropractors about insurance companies denying payment for therapy codes. Texas Rep. Eddie Lucio III sponsored the companion bill (HB 1410) in the Texas House.
“This is a significant victory for Texas chiropractors and puts us on a more even playing field with other health care providers. However, those benefiting most are the patients who rely on chiropractic care,” said TCA President Devin Pettiet, DC, a chiropractor from Tomball, Texas. “On behalf of Texas chiropractors and thousands of chiropractic patients, we thank Sen. Menendez and Rep. Lucio for pushing this important legislation and Gov. Abbott for signing SB 1739 into law.”
(l-r) TCA lobbyist Kaden Norton of StateCraft; TCA Secretary/Treasurer Mo Jahadi, DC; Sen. Jose Menendez; Hollen Meyer, DC; and TCA Executive Director Jeff Jenkins.