If you're currently treating Native American patients in your practice, the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research needs to hear from you. The Palmer Center is developing a health services research project to document to what extent chiropractic providers are meeting the health care needs of underserved population groups, such as Native Americans.
The legislative language of the Indian Health Service Act now includes chiropractic health care providers. Palmer expects that information from their documentation project will help guide policies on health care and reimbursement of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
If your chiropractic practice patient base includes a number of Native American patients, your assistance is vital.
Please immediately contact:
Monica Smith, DC, PhD
Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research
741 Brady Street
Davenport, Iowa 52803
phone: 319-884-5173
fax: 319-884-5227
e-mail: smith_m@palmer.edu
Recent laws in New Jersey and California represent a disturbing trend that will negatively impact a practice’s ability to collect monies from patients, as well as expose them to significant penalties if the practice does not follow the mandatory guidelines to a T. Please be aware that a similar law may be coming to your state. The time to act is before the law is passed.
With estimates showing over 30 million Americans affected by peripheral neuropathy – and a significant portion underdiagnosed – it’s increasingly likely that chiropractors are already treating these patients. What’s missing is structured recognition, comprehensive management and targeted tools to slow progression, improve function and support systemic health.
Each year, ICD-10-CM is updated on Oct. 1. For 2026, there are 74,179 total codes, with 487 additions, 28 deletions and 38 revisions. Code changes are based on date of service, not the claim submission date. Services performed on/after Oct. 1 must use the new codes. While no changes affect the common spinal or extraspinal codes most frequently used by DCs, several updates may still affect your claims – particularly for comorbidities, referred pain, or trauma cases.
| Digital Exclusive