The Role of Insurance Coverage in the Toronto Back Surgery or Non-Surgical Care Choice
“Back surgery is one of the most overused types of surgery as well as the most common ailment that sends patients to doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists,” conveys Crain’s Detroit Business magazine’s article called Health Insurers Look for Ways to Cut Costs with Back Surgery. What a way to open an article! It goes on:
- $90 billion on low back pain alone annually
- 1.2 million spinal surgeries a year
- $60,000 to $110,000 per lumbar fusion surgery (the fastest-growing type of surgery in the past decade)
The back surgery failure rate, the so-called “failed back syndrome” or the more “politically correct” term “post-surgical continued pain syndrome,” may be as high as 50%. (1) With healthcare spending in the US over $3.5 trillion - $10,739 per person – it is no wonder that insurers look for another way to cut costs, especially when one-third of the money is spent for hospital care of chronic illnesses. (2) Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre is well-trained and knowledgeable in offering non-hospital-based care to help Toronto back pain – chronic and acute – patients get relief of and handle their back pain – and post-surgical continued back pain - non-surgically.
LOW BACK PAIN FACTS
Low back pain is the foremost reason of years lived with disability globally. Today, recommendations for low back pain relief care discourage pain medications, steroid injections and spine surgery and encourage physical therapy and psychological therapy. Healthcare systems are apt to struggle with these novel approaches. Why? Pharmaceutical companies’ financial interests, old payment systems that favor medical care, outdated traditions, and legal, personal, political, and societal beliefs of us all. These thoughts are presented in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, believe it or not. (3) Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre reads this with interest.
BACK SURGERY CHOICE
Considering these facts, it is not hard to believe that some back pain sufferers will decide on back surgery over non-surgical care of their back pain. “Patients go where insurance pays, even if it is surgery.” In one study, back pain sufferers chose to visit a primary care physician (PCP) or physical therapist (PT) or chiropractor first based on their health plan type, co-payment, and deductible. Changing these things to make them more valuable/less expensive/less restrictive as to provider type might well encourage low back pain sufferers to pick non-hospital, conservative treatment instead of back surgery. (4) Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre likes this! Less than 1% of back pain sufferers must have back surgery. (5) Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre is prepared to help the other 99% of the Toronto back pain sufferers cope with their back pain and rework their lifestyles to be with the spine they have and deal with its episodes of pain and relief.
RECURRENT BACK PAIN
Toronto back pain sufferers are not alone if their back pain comes back. It happens. It’s controllable. It’s manageable. Some facts first: Within a year of recovery, 69% of patients had another episode of back pain of some sort. Awkward postures, long sitting times, and more than 2 prior back pain experiences trigger the risk of back pain recurrence. (6) It is ok though. Really! Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre helps Toronto back pain patients navigate these recurrences and manage them so they don’t limit anyone’s enjoyment of life. We have a treatment plan!
CONTACT Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre
Listen to Dr. Kimble Cater on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson discuss how he helped an expectant mother with her repeated episodes of back pain. Whether you are pregnant or not, Toronto chiropractic care at Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre can help you cope with repeated episodes of back pain, too.
Schedule a Toronto chiropractic appointment at Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre for back pain relief. Our care is not overused! The gentle, effective, evidence-based system of Cox® Technic look for 50% relief within 4-6 weeks of care and often delivers 70%, 80%, 90% and more for many of our patients at less cost – in terms of finances and lifestyle – than back surgery.
