78 - Beyond Adjustments: What the Chiropractic Medicare Modernization Act Means

Hosts Paul Andrews and Dr. Mark Davini break down H.R. 539, the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act filed in 2025, explaining how the bill would expand Medicare reimbursement beyond spinal manipulation to any service within a chiropractor’s state scope of practice. They cover the bill’s broad strokes, potential for increased coverage (including examples like acupuncture in some states), and the historical context of past demonstration projects.

The episode highlights the critical need for improved documentation, the one-time HHS webinar requirement in the bill, and the likelihood of greater audits and scrutiny if the bill passes. The hosts discuss cost and budgeting implications, comparisons to physical therapy reporting burdens, and practical clinic impacts such as EHR compliance tools.

Finally, Paul and Dr. Davini issue a clear call to action: engage patients and staff, use links on allthingschiropractic.com to track the bill and send messages to representatives and prepare your practice for the responsibilities that expanded Medicare coverage would bring.