Lori Grassi WSCA Executive of Legislation and Policy


Maintain access to chiropractic care by requiring carriers to negotiate provider contracts in good faith!


Support HB 1589 (Bronoske, Macri, Shavers, Pollet, Reed)


HB 1589 levels the playing field for health care providers to negotiate fair contracts with health insurers. This bill is necessary so providers can stay in business and remain in network.


Chiropractic is safe, effective, and accessible care for all patients.


However, as providers are forced out of networks due to unreasonable reimbursement rates, barriers to access are growing.


• Chiropractic fee schedules have not increased in 20 years with limited, temporary exceptions. • In many cases, insurer reimbursements do not cover the cost of providing the service. • Carriers charge purchases for chiropractic care in the premium to the employer, but the patient is paying most of the cost out of pocket – there is not a true benefit.


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• On average, chiropractors have had to reduce clinical staff by up to 2.7 positions, and administrative staff by 1.3 positions, due to reimbursement levels not keeping up with inflation over the past 2 years alone. Carriers increase premiums annually, but provider fee schedules remain stagnant.


As independent providers, chiropractors are forced into “all or nothing” contracts without negotiation.


HB 1589 preserves patients’ access to care by requiring insurance companies to engaging in good faith negotiations with independent health care providers. “Good faith” means the insurer must:


• Offer a meaningful opportunity to negotiate the terms of the contract


• Provide a contact person for negotiations • Indicate how the contract is different from the previous contract


• Share and easily accessible proposed fee schedule prior to contracting


Please support HB 1589 to protect patient access to necessary and cost-effective chiropractic care! For more information contact: Lori Grassi LGrassi@chirohealth.org


Ple x us F eb/March 20 2 5 13 HB 1589 also prohibits:


• Requiring providers to take discounts that are not part of the original contract


• Take-it-or-leave-it clauses


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