Chiropractice question help needed

[yasir]

I have a friend who's looking into becoming a Chiropractor and was just wondering how long does it take to get there and how much on an average do they make/year ? Btw what's the insurance reimbursement like for them ?
Thanks

[Eric Coffey]

I would never let any chiropractor "adjust" me, but YMMV. Telll your friend to go to school and become a physical therapist instead of a wannabe hack (*ducking*).

[M.D. Holloway]

Have a few friends who have done it, takes 3 years after undergrad degree. Some schools don't require a science undergrade or any undergrad but they are less than reputable. Three best schools - LA, Lombard ILL and Parker in Dallas. Ave $$$ seem to be about 65K to 75K annual but that could go up or down depending on if you hook up with an established firm or if you try to build you client base. Upside, it doesn't seem like they have to pay the big ins bucks GPs pay, downside, many insurence co's have a bad co-pay (nor no co-pay). If your friend wants to help people and they want to have a great income without the student loans - have them look into nursing, huge need for male nurses as well. And if they want to do more they can get into being a nurse practioner.

[Karl2bdc]

Chiropractic is the number 1 alternative health care in the US, and will continue to grow. People who say they would never let a chiroprator adjust them, are the 1st ones to come around when their low back is hurting them so bad they can't stand up. Chiropractic is very safe, our malpractice insurance is roughly $1,400 a year, compared to say a OBGYN at about $150,000 a year. Schools i would look at would be Northwestern out of Minneapolis, Parker in Dallas, NYCC in New York, or Palmer in Davenport. Program is 3-4 years depending on how fast you want to do it. I did it in 3 years, which is 3 semesters a year, 35 credit hours a semester. You will have over 4000 hours of classwork when it is all said and done. You will not be able to work during that period, as the program is way to intense. I was in class from 7:30-4:30 every day, then you spend at least 3-4 hours studying a night. I came out of school with 150k in loans (including undergrad), all the schools will be about the same. I attended Cleveland in Kansas City. Average salary is 100k+ a year, with some docs making upwards of 1 million a year. Most work weeks probably average 30 hours a week. The income potential is not there with PT or Nursing, and you will help more people.

edit
Oh and yes you need 3 years of ungrad to get in to school, but you will need to finish your undergrad degree while doing the DC program, as most states require a bacelors degree and doctorate to get licensing.

[yasir]

I have a chiropractor friend who seems to be busy all the time as i think him and his partner sees anywhere from 200-300 patients a day.What i have noticed is that they all get their backs cracked and get their necks on traction and thats it,takes hardly 10 minutes in and out ! He has 3 girls working for him,doesn't seem to have any overhead,low malpractice and drives an E-46 M3,Viper pickup truck and new Toyota Sienna,so must be doing pretty good. So how does a chiropractor gets reimbursed from an insurance co and how much ?
Thanks, yasir

[Karl2bdc]

Usually insurance will kick back a certain percentage whatever that may be. If say a treatment is 40 bucks, they may reimburse 24 or 30, something like that. Some insurance companies cover say 24 visits a year with a 10 or 15 dollar co pay, some insurance companies do not cover it at all yet. If you only charge 25-35 bucks a visit, cash only is the best option to go with for a doctor, as insurance is a pain in the ass and really raises your overhead due to the extra paperwork and having to hire someone to do it. If someone wants to charge 100 bucks a visit, then they had better accept insurance because most people won't be able to afford that high of a payment. 200-300 patients a day would be the upper limit for 2 people, and i even question 300, i have seen 100 a day on a regular basis by a single doctor who has been in practice for 20 years, but that is a full day. I am working with 2 doctors that see about 450 a week. With a high volume practice, it is usually cash based with lower treatment charges. A low volume practice usually charges 60-100 bucks a visit and will accept insurance, maybe seeing 20-25 people a day. Everyone practices a little bit different, just depends on their philosophy and quite frankly their amount of business training. In the early 80's insurance would pay up to 200 bucks a visit, with no regulations and guys unfortunetly were charging that because they knew they could take advantage of the system. Since then, insurance has changed, the ceiling today is much much lower for reimbursement. You can do the math, say 100 visits a day, even as low as 25-30 bucks a treatment, is $650,000 a year. Overhead for a cash practice can be as low as 15%, Overhead for an insurance based practice is much much higher, some run 80% overhead because they are not business smart. National average for overhead in a chiropractic office is 63%. Most people do not see 100 a day either, i would say average is maybe 30 a day. Usually guys are happy seeing that, and only working 15-20 hours a week.

[sixbanger]

I might you do your homework first on this.Save time and money and become a lawer.The insurance for the is much lower.

[sixbanger]

OOOPS on the typo.

[Kevin Taylor]

Tis thread is killing my back.

K.T.
1973 911E 2.4 MFI
1965 Devin "D" - 1967 912 Power Plant
1997 GMC Z-71 4X4
John Deere LT 166

[Kevin Taylor]

OPPS.........on the spelling.
K.T.
1973 911E 2.4 MFI
1965 Devin "D" - 1967 912 Power Plant
1997 GMC Z-71 4X4
John Deere LT 166

[Kevin Taylor]

Drugs and surgery are the only treatment for back pain.

K.T.
1973 911E 2.4 MFI
1965 Devin "D" - 1967 912 Power Plant
1997 GMC Z-71 4X4
John Deere LT 166

[Karl2bdc]

Both brother and sister are lawyers (i believe that is what you were trying to say). If you want to make money as a lawyer, you need to get in with a firm. A junior associate will work 7 days a week 80 hours a week for the first couple years to get established. Yes the money will come eventually, but i'd rather take the 25 hour work week, make well in the 6 figures, have an incredibly low stress job, and help a lot of people feel better. All depends on what field you are interested in.

[Karl2bdc]

Oh and don't go into a field just because you think you will make a lot of money. You need to love what you do, or you will be unhappy no matter how much money you make.

[Superman]

Never went to a chiropractor, or even considered it, until early this year. Developed some back discomfort, a dull ache. It got worse. Saw the doctor a couple of times. Ultimately the doctor suggested a 'manipulation therapist' (chiropractor). the muscle relaxers were not helping.

A co-worker seemed certain he knew who I should see, so I did. He's called an Orthopedic Specialist and has the following letters after his name - "P.T." "O.C.S." and "C.O.M.T." He discovered that my right hand grip was only about 60% strength compared to the left. should be 110%. In the first visit, he relieved the pain, which had gotten VERY uncomfortable. Then during subsequent visits he has tested my right hand strength, which is back to normal now.

I'm sold.

But he sure is not the 200 patient-per-day variety. He spends most of his time moving me, feeling, evaluating. My co-worker was correct. This guy is the real deal. Anybody in the Seattle area wants to know the name and phone number of THE BEST, PM me. BTW, he does quite a few name-brand pro athletes, including and especially golfers. Tours with the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company.

[Karl2bdc]

Superman, could you PM me his info, it is always good to have names for guys like him on file when i need to give a referral. Thanks! While i am in seattle for xmas, i might even try and stop by to pay him a visit and watch what he does.

[Superman]

Oops.

[Kevin Taylor]

CHIROPRACTOR

In a long line of people waiting for a bank teller, one guy suddenly started massaging the back of the person in front of him. Surprised, the man in front turned and snarled, "Just what the hell you are doing?"

"Well," said the guy, "you see, I'm a chiropractor and I could see that you were tense, so I had to massage your back. Sometimes I just can't help practicing my art!"

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" the guy replied. "I work for the IRS. Do you see me screwing the guy in front of me?"
K.T.
1973 911E 2.4 MFI
1965 Devin "D" - 1967 912 Power Plant
1997 GMC Z-71 4X4
John Deere LT 166

[Moses]

I have a chronic back problem. Nothing too serious. I know I don't have a herniated disc or any nerve compression injuries. About once every two years my back gets in a bind.

Guess what I do? I see my chiropractor. She pounds on me and tries to drive her pointy little elbows through my spine, pinning me to the table like a harpooned flounder. One or two torture sessions and I'm good to go.

[Superman]

My situation is similar, Moses. The guy insists that I coordinate with my doctor, but he also seems to understand his subject. The motor loss I had (right hand grip) began to return fairly quickly although it took a few months to completely return. He said this recovery speed means I do not have a compression injurty also.

[M.D. Holloway]

I have a friend who practices back cracking in LA - has Raider Cheerleaders as a few clients. $600K annual? Rubbing cheerleaders? Man, did I make the wrong choice!