Partnering with SecureCare

As a board member for the Illinois Chiropractic Society for the past 8 years, I have watched and been part of changes in the ICS board and staff. This has resulted in the ICS taking a much more active role in many facets of Chiropractic in Illinois, including legislation and the ever-changing protocols for practice management how we run our everyday practices. I know that if someone asked, “What has the ICS done for me lately?” I could generate a list that would probably surprise most of the Chiropractic Physicians in Illinois. Those accomplishments should not and DO NOT make us complacent. Your elected Board members are still striving to improve chiropractic practices in Illinois. That is one reason why we have established a goal of 18% by 2018. We want the Chiropractors in Illinois to see 18% of the population in Illinois by 2018. We have made many strides toward that goal, but we are also working to do more.

To that point, it’s no secret that the general relationship between health care payers and chiropractic physicians is tumultuous at best. We all live it on a daily basis. Because of these ongoing and seemingly ever-increasing problems, the Illinois Chiropractic Society has been looking into alternative approaches for years. In fact, we have been researching Independent Physicians Associations and proper legal structuring for over 6 years.

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After countless hours of exploration, legal research, negotiations, and lengthy discussions, the ICS board of directors, in October, voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with SecureCare and form an Independent Physicians Association for chiropractic physicians here in Illinois. SecureCare is wholly owned by our sister not-for-profit chiropractic association in Nebraska and has been improving payer relations for Nebraska chiropractors for over 20 years.

Here in Illinois, our current reality is that we are managed by insurance companies who are simply looking to improve shareholder profits and by networks who are paid and beholden to the insurance companies. We must be proactive and change that model. We need an organization at the table that is owned and operated by an association of chiropractic physicians… we need someone to represent US in the health care payment system. ICS leadership is truly excited about the possibilities and opportunities that the SecureCare relationship will bring to our profession here in Illinois.

The beauty of working with SecureCare in Illinois, is that the relationship will provide a way for us to meet the needs of the insurance companies without the typical burdensome financial impact to our practices. SecureCare will work with our association leaders to represent chiropractic physicians to the payers without being beholden to the insurers.

This incredibly positive next step of our 18% by 2018 Natural First mission will be rolled out in more detail in the coming months, as we advance the relationship and discussions with the payer groups. Please watch for our continuing communications in the near future.