A study published in the October 11, 2004 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reports that considerable cost savings and reduced utilization are observed for patients with chiropractic coverage. Savings to the health plan have been estimated at $208 per member per year, with an average $110 saved per back pain episode. The study was conducted and co-authored by Health Benchmarks(R) (HBI) as an investigation of supplemental chiropractic coverage provided by American Specialty Health (ASH).

Back pain accounts for more than $100 billion in annual U.S. health care costs and is the second leading cause of physician visits and hospitalizations. HBI evaluated the effect of systematic access to chiropractic care on the consumption of health care resources within a large managed-care system. HBI conducted a retrospective analysis of four years of administrative claims data comparing health plan members with an additional chiropractic benefit to members of the same health plan without the chiropractic benefit. The findings, detailed in Archives of Internal Medicine, include a significant decrease in healthcare spending over the four-year study period.

"The results of our study indicate that the addition of chiropractic coverage reduces overall health care expenditures," said leading author Antonio P. Legorreta, M.D., M.P.H., President and CEO, Health Benchmarks Inc. "Systematic access to managed chiropractic care not only may reduce overall health care costs but also may prove to be clinically beneficial," added Dr. R. Douglas Metz, a co-author of the study. Dr. Metz went on to say, "these findings impact health care providers and payers."

"One of the study's greatest strengths clearly lies in the sheer magnitude of the sample investigated, resulting, to my knowledge, in one of the largest analyses ever performed on the economic impact of chiropractic," said Drs. Ness and Nisly in the accompanying editorial. "However, important conceptual and methodological considerations ought to be addressed to paint a more accurate picture of the data's true significance."

Health Benchmarks(R) delivers real-world health outcomes research, analysis, and consulting services to pharmaceutical companies and health plans and is a pioneer in the development of health provider pay for performance solutions for managed care organizations. For more information about Health Benchmarks, please visit www.healthbenchmarks.com or call 1-800-465-6575.