Why Do Experienced Chiropractors Charge More?
- They have refined their skills by working with many patients.
- They have a stable base of clients who require their time and assistance.
- They complete continuing education courses or updates to their original training.
Read on to learn more.
Chiropractic care is for much more than low back pain and can treat a wide range of conditions.
It can improve your posture, alleviate uncomfortable symptoms, and enhance your overall well being.
Chiropractic care gets to the root of the problems you're dealing with instead of just masking the symptoms.
Compared to many other treatment options, it is a safer, natural, effective, and affordable alternative.
Many factors will influence the cost of your chiropractic care. There isn't a "menu" price for care.
Related article: Five reasons millennials are embracing chiropractic care
In the article below, we will discuss the factors that will influence the price of your chiropractic care, so you know what to expect and can budget for your treatments.
Table of Contents
- An Overview
- How Experienced Is The Chiropractor?
- Where Is The Chiropractor Located?
- Financing Your Care
- Chiropractic Care and Insurance
- Paying For Your Care Out of Pocket
- Chiropractic Care Is A Worthy Expense
An Overview
In general, chiropractic services range from approximately $30 to $200 per consultation.
Of course, every kind of treatment has a different fee. For example, a preliminary consultation with a chiropractor may be provided at no fee, while a typical therapy session can cost about $65 on average.
The more intense and advanced care that your problem requires, the more expensive your treatments will be per session.
For example, neck pain from a serious car accident might cost more than neck pain from a simple crick in the neck.
If x-rays are necessary, that may increase the treatment cost as well.
The frequency of your treatments also influences the cost. It will always cost more to see a chiropractor three times a week than it would to only see them once.
For the most part, chiropractic treatments have to be completed on a regular basis for a certain period of time in order for them to be effective.
How long that takes depends on the patient and the issues they are dealing with.
How Experienced Is The Chiropractor?
Every chiropractor has to complete four years of pre-med undergraduate coursework.
After that, they have to complete an additional four to five years of specialized training.
The specialized training includes courses on chiropractic methods, human musculoskeletal anatomy, health science, and more.
It also involves a year of practical work where the aspiring chiropractor will spend much of their time working in a chiropractic clinic directly with patients under supervision to perfect their skills.
Once they've completed this program, which totals to about 4,000 hours of training, chiropractors can become accredited.
This is the baseline level of experience every chiropractor will have, but they can of course continue their studies and get specializations.
They will also spend years in their practice, perfecting their skills even more.
Chiropractors with more years in practice will likely have a higher treatment cost because of everything they have learned during their careers.
This comes down to personal preference, but many patients feel more comfortable working with an experienced chiropractor and won't mind paying the extra money to do so.
However, you can still receive excellent chiropractic treatment from a less experienced chiropractor that won't cost you as much.
You can also save money on the cost of your care by working with a new chiropractor that is working in an established practice under supervision.
Where Is The Chiropractor Located?
The location of your chiropractic clinic also affects the treatment cost.
A chiropractor in Malibu is going to cost more per session than a chiropractor in Nebraska.
Chiropractic treatments will also be more expensive towns that have a high demand for the treatments.
So if you live in a small town in Nebraska that loves chiropractic care, you are likely to pay more for the services.
Some people choose to travel for cheaper chiropractic care, but when doing this be sure to factor in the travel expenses and the extra time you are investing in your trip.
The specific location of your chiropractor will also influence the cost of your care.
For example, a private chiropractic office that offers luxurious amenities like x rays and sophisticated treatment tools will probably charge more than a chiropractor practicing in a public hospital.
Financing Your Care
Chiropractic care often requires ongoing treatments, so you might need to pay for a program of sessions that could cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
This overwhelms a lot of people and keeps them from ever visiting chiropractors.
However, with chiropractic financing, you can spread your expenses over months or years to make the treatment more accessible.
Some clinics provide private, independent financing that you arrange at the clinic, while others will work with external lending companies.
If you decide to finance, you will need to meet the requirements to qualify for the loan.
You also need to be able to make the monthly payments with interest included.
Financing your care is great for a lot of people because you can fit your treatment into your budget and receive the services when you need them.
Chiropractic Care and Insurance
Even though chiropractic care is often considered a complementary medical service, your insurance provider may cover chiropractic care or at least a portion of the treatment costs.
That means your chiropractor may accept your insurance, making treatment much more affordable.
This includes the largest health insurance providers, as well as Medicare, Medicaid, and federal plans for service members.
Chiropractors are also covered under workers' compensation.
Most insurance providers help pay for the costs of chiropractic treatment, but the parameters of the coverage may vary.
If you have been referred to a chiropractor, or are thinking about pursuing chiropractic care, go over your insurance plan or give your provider a call and ask them about chiropractic care.
Paying For Your Care Out Of Pocket
If you don't have insurance, your insurance doesn't cover chiropractic care, or you don't qualify for financing, your only other option is to pay for your treatment out of pocket.
This might force you to save up for your chiropractic care or find ways to make additional income so you can afford the treatments.
Paying for chiropractic care out of pocket has its advantages because you will be able to choose the chiropractor you want without the limitations of an insurance provider.
Some clinics may even provide discounts or additional treatments for people who can pay for their services upfront.
When you have to pay for your treatment out of pocket, you will probably want to find the cheapest provider, but you want to be sure you aren't sacrificing quality for a lower price.
Most clinics will want a payment on the day of or before you receive care, while some will require you to pre-pay for a package of treatments.
Chiropractic Care Is A Worthy Expense
As you can see, several factors influence how much chiropractic care will cost, as well as several ways to pay for it.
No matter how much the treatment costs, or how you pay for it, the cost of chiropractic care is always worth it.
Chiropractic care has been proven to treat many issues, including everything from low back pain and headaches to the common cold.
It can also keep you from having to take pain killers that usually do more harm than good, and chiropractic care can even keep you off of the operating table.
Contact The Arrowhead Clinic Today
If you are ready to schedule your first appointment with a chiropractor, look no further than the Arrowhead Clinic.
Whether you have neck pain, back pain, you've recently suffered an injury, or you're dealing with any other issues, chiropractic treatment from the Arrowhead Clinic could be just what you need.
The Arrowhead Clinics have been serving their communities for nearly 40 years, and they will work with you to make sure you can afford the cost of their services.
Every clinic offers a free consultation, and during that first appointment, they will figure out the best way they can help you overcome your pain or injuries.
If you've been considering chiropractic care, give the team at the Arrowhead Clinic a call.
After you've received chiropractic treatment from the chiropractors at the Arrowhead Clinic, you will realize that is was completely worth the cost.
