"Spinal manipulation. Chiropractic services will be subject to a one thousand ($1,000) per year limit, subject to the policy deductible and co-insurance."
The Idaho Association of Chiropractic Physicians (IACP) filed suit against the Idaho State Department of Insurance and its director.
The IACP claimed, reasonably, that the rules discriminated against chiropractors, as no monetary limit was placed on PTs or MDs doing manipulation. Further, the IACP said the rule discriminated against those Idaho citizens that desire to have their musculoskeletal disorders treated by chiropractors.
Inexplicably, the district court denied summary judgment to the IACP. Fortunately, the supreme court in a 3-1 vote reversed that decision and awarded costs to the IACP. The concurring judges saw "no rational basis to say that a service provided by one health care professional is covered, but the identical service provided by another health care professional is not covered."
Most chiropractors would cringe over the "identical service" assertion, but will applaud the supreme court justices for calling discrimination by its name when they see it.
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