2 I Winter 2018 www.anjc.info www.njchiropractors.com I 3 TM Insurance Update MEDICARE Q&A Le ANJC Leadership Headquarters UPDATE Le The Roller Derby of Healthcare During my teen years, every Saturday morning, if we were not watching professional wrestling with Chief Jay Strongbow, Gorilla Monsoon and cast, we would be watching the roller derby on TV. Week after week, one skater would crash into another knocking the second one away, then the first skater would encounter a roadblock of skaters ahead. After some jostling about, the first skater would be able to break through the roadblock, move forward for a while only to encounter another roadblock. On and on it went. Could our great profession be the healthcare version of the roller derby? It seems whether in our offices or as an association, year after year, roadblock after roadblock gets thrown in front of us and either we step over it, go around it or simply fight and crash right through it. Five years to fight for a change in our scope that was 53 years overdue. Fighting back against Triad. Fighting back for non-payment of 97140 by Aetna. Fighting back against review companies that limit your cost-effective care at five visits then review your necessity, while the same patient is going for $8,000 epidurals and the same company does not review that. Fighting back Blue Cross took years so that you were rightfully paid for exams and therapies. Fighting back with Class Action lawsuits that saw many of you get significant checks from Horizon the past two years. For a very young organization it’s a pretty impressive track record and yet there is more to come, I promise you. As we continue to wait for the New Jersey appellate judges to render a decision (final arguments were heard May 2017) none of the ANJC initiatives through the years have moved quickly, but with patience, many have turned out positive for the profession and we all feel now that any battle we take on, we have strength, knowledge and resources on our side. Crash through a roadblock and another appears ahead. As we just turned the corner into 2018, ANJC has a list of initiatives we are working on as an association including helping you be protected and educated should a carrier audit you, expanding veteran’s access to chiropractic care and fighting discrimination against our profession, to name a few, as well as fighting every step of the way and every roadblock along the way, so your patients and you are treated fairly. Together you can be assured that your state association, the ANJC, will be fighting for you in the background as well as out front, to allow you concentrate on caring for your patients and running your practice. By Dr. Steve Clarke ANJC President LET US SAVE YOU TIME & MONEY WHILE YOU treat PROS OF OUR SERVICES: • Save Time and Money • Peace of Mind With Billing and Collections • Can Help to Increase Collections • Save on Space and Supplies • Stays on Top of Insurance Regulations We are a Nationwide Medical Solutions Firm who help providers with billing and collections, staff management, marketing, staff training & more! 10% OFF FIRST SERVICE!* *Call for more details. SMART HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS • PO BOX 428, EDGEWATER, NJ 07020 800-985-7509 www.smarthcs.com patients. Our medical billing and consulting services range from billing and accounts receivable work to customer service training. We also offer electronic claims submission, A/R follow-up and appeals, HIPAA consulting, patient invoicing, collections and medical audits. Plus, we’re constantly updating our training and obtaining new specialists to best service your practice needs. What’s Inside: Lifetime Achievement Award Page 4 Scholarship Winners Page 5 Our New Members Page 5 Featured Articles: ANJC Leadership Page 4 Headquarters Update Page 5 Legal Ease Page 6 Legal Q&A Page 7 Legislative Update Page 8 Opioid Crisis Page 9 Nutrition Council Page 11 Insurance Update Page 12 Medicare Q&A Page 13 Rehab Council Page 14 Technique Council Page 16 Our Sponsors Page 18 Chiro Assist Page 26