A chiropractor is a health care professional who diagnoses a patient’s various problems in the neuromusculoskeletal system, including the bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, etc.
If you are facing any problems in your joints or having problems in your bones, muscles, etc. then you might have to go to a chiropractor as an alternative or adjunct to your medical doctor.
However, going to a chiropractor will cost you money and if you don’t have any insurance then it will cost you more money.
Usually, the average cost of chiropractic adjustments in the USA is $65 per session, but if you don’t have insurance, then you have to pay at least $120.
Usually, the prices of various chiropractic care range from $30 to $200 per session but the amount increases significantly if you don’t have any coverage. Moreover, the actual cost of a chiropractor also depends on the chiropractor’s experience, location, etc.
If you have suffered from neck or back pain and don’t know how to get rid of it. A chiropractor might be your best solution as they specialize in this field. So what is a chiropractor, And how much does it cost?
What is a Chiropractor?
Chiropractic is a pseudoscientific, complementary, and alternative form of medicine. It concerns the diagnosis and treatment of the skeletal and muscular systems.
Professionals in the chiropractic field are called “Chiropractors.” This title is granted to recognized and certified individuals by the General Chiropractic Council (GCC).
Legally speaking, Chiropractors need to be certified by the GCC to operate. They use manual therapy and their arms to manipulate the joints, muscles, and soft tissue to ease pain in specific areas.
Chiropractic can mainly help with pain in muscles and joints such as the neck, back, and shoulder. To make this happen, they can use many techniques such as spinal manipulation, short and sharp thrusting movements, and pulling and stretching your muscles in different directions.
If you’re planning to visit a chiropractor, you needn’t consult your general physician before making an appointment. When you first meet the chiropractor, they will assess your symptoms and provide you with the proper treatment techniques.
During your therapy, you should be relaxed and at ease. If you feel any pain, you are required to ask them to stop immediately.
Chiropractic therapy is safe and quick; although you might experience mild ache, stiffness, and tiredness, they should pass away after a few days. If they haven’t, consult your General practitioner immediately.
Chiropractic is a controversial topic in the medical field since there is no scientific evidence supporting their claim. Despite this, many patients swear by how much chiropractic helped them physically.
What Are The Costs Of A Chiropractor?
According to a recent survey by Chiropractic Economics magazine, the average fee for a chiropractic session is $65 for a general vertebrae adjustment.
However, the fees of a season can range from $34 to $106 per session depending on where you live, how many regions of the spine a chiropractor services, and if you have needed any tests or not. If you don’t have insurance then the fees can increase from $80 to $220 per session.
If you are a new patient then you might have to pay a little more fee compared to a regular patient. If you need an X-ray then the chiropractor will charge additional fees and it ranges from $44 to $159.
Usually, the health insurance plans cover some level of chiropractic care and treatment so if you have health insurance then your cost will be minimized.
Chiropractic Care Cost Factors
A chiropractor can treat various types of conditions as well as relieve symptoms, improve posture, and ensure your health’s well-being.
Moreover, chiropractic is more affordable than other types of treatments. However, there are some factors that play a very important role in the cost of chiropractor treatment. Let’s check them out!
1. Experience Of The Chiropractor
According to the American Chiropractic Association, a chiropractor needs to complete 4 years of pre-medical undergraduate courses as well as have an additional 4 to 5 years of specialized training.
The training must include various courses for chiropractic methods, health science, human musculoskeletal anatomy, and much more. Moreover, they must have 1 year of practical work under the supervision of a professional.
So, their program consists of 4,000 hours of work and after completing the program a person will be able to be accredited to become a chiropractor. Therefore, the more experience and years of practice a Chiropractor has the more they will charge. Other reasons, a Chiropractor can charge you more are –
- It has a stable and large client base
- Having more skills by working with lots of patients
- They have taken additional courses or upgrade their education for their original training
- They have invested more money, time, and energy into their career
2. Location Of The Chiropractic Clinic
Based on the location of the chiropractic clinic, the cost of the chiropractor can increase or decrease. Usually, the cost of living, demand and taxes for a particular service has a significant impact on the fees of a chiropractic clinic.
For example, a Chiropractic Clinic in New York will cost you more than a Chiropractic Clinic in Michigan. Towns or counties, where the demand is high for a chiropractor will cost you more money.
A chiropractor can also provide service from private practice, in a hospital, or in a medical center. It also affects the cost of a chiropractor.
3. Insurance Coverage
Some insurance plans cover a part of the chiropractic treatment costs. Therefore, if you have insurance coverage, then your chiropractic treatment costs will be minimized.
Health insurance companies like Medicaid, Medicare, and federal health covers some cost of a chiropractor for active duty and veteran US military members. So, if you are planning on getting chiropractic care then you should ask your health insurance provider about the following topics:
- How many visits a year are covered under the insurance?
- What percentage of costs will your insurance help to pay for?
- Does chiropractic treatment count towards the insurance deductible?
- Will you need to provide a co-payment whenever you visit the chiropractor?
- If you can reimburse your chiropractic expenses?
- Does the insurance policy include radiography costs in the coverage?
- Does the insurance policy cover the initial costs of chiropractic exams?
- Do you have to go to a specific, approved chiropractor to apply for coverage?
- Will the insurance policy cover supplements, vitamins, or orthopedic tools?
Chiropractic Care Cost Without Insurance
If your health insurance doesn’t cover the cost of Chiropractic Care then you have to pay the money from your own pocket. If you don’t have insurance or if your insurance doesn’t cover the cost of Chiropractic Care then you have to think of alternatives to minimize the cost.
You have to find other ways to make additional money or save up for chiropractor treatments. There are many Chiropractic Care available that provides discounts or even additional treatments for patients who can pay upfront.
Sometimes it is best for you that your insurance doesn’t cover the Chiropractic Care cost because it allows you to pick the chiropractor that you feel comfortable with. You should try to find Chiropractic Care that is comfortable as well as affordable.
A Breakdown Of Chiropractor Cost Without Insurance
| Type Of Service | Price Range |
| Chiropractic Care Initial Examination | $130 – $170 |
| Chiropractic Adjustments Pay per visit | $40 – $65 |
| Chiropractic Adjustments Prepaid block of 6 visits | $280 – $300 |
| Chiropractic Adjustments Prepaid block of 12 visits | $520 – $580 |
| Chiropractic Adjustments Prepaid block of 24 visits | $980 – $1100 |
| Reevaluation Fee | $70 – $95 |
| X-rays and Reports of Cervical Spine | $50 – $70 |
| X-rays and Reports of Thoracic Spine | $50 – $65 |
| X-rays and Reports of Lumbar Spine | $50 – $65 |
| X-rays and Reports of Full Spine Series | $50 – $65 |
| Animal Chiropractic Care Initial Examination | $100 – $120 |
| Animal Chiropractic Care Regular visit | $45 – $60 |
| Massage Therapy of 30-minute treatment | $75+hst – $90+hst |
| Massage Therapy of 45-minute treatment | $90+hst – $115+hst |
| Massage Therapy of 60-minute treatment | $105+hit – $130+hst |
| Massage Therapy of 75-minute treatment | $130+hit – $155+hst |
| Massage Therapy of 90-minute treatment | $155+hst – $180+hst |
| Acupuncture 30 min treatment | $65 – $75 |
| Orthotics | $500 – $550 |
| Naturopathic Care of 30-minute acupuncture | $50 – $75 |
| Naturopathic Care of 30-minute follow-ups | $90 – $115 |
| Naturopathic Care of 45-minute follow-ups | $140 – $165 |
| Naturopathic Care of 60-minute follow-ups | $180 – $210 |
| Craniosacral Therapy Initial Visit with a 30-minute treatment | $120 – $140 |
| Craniosacral Therapy of the 30-minute session | $85 – $100 |
| Craniosacral Therapy of the 45-minute session | $100 – $120 |
| Craniosacral Therapy of the 60-minute session | $120 – $135 |
| Cold Laser Regular Visit | $50 – $70 |
| Extended Cold Laser Visit | $70 – $85 |
| In addition to adjustment | $20 – $35 |
FAQs
Do Chiropractors Have Insurance?
Yes, chiropractors take insurance and nowadays, many insurance plans cover chiropractic care, which is very convenient. However, there might be some limitations in the coverage, like some plans might not cover things like x-rays, physical therapy exercises, evaluation services, etc.
How Much Does Insurance Cover Chiropractic Care?
The answer to this question totally depends on what type of health insurance you have or whether your health insurance covers chiropractic care or not. Usually, health insurances cover full or partial coverage for chiropractic care. You have to ask the insurance provider about chiropractic care.
How Much Is Chiropractic Massage Without Insurance?
If you don’t have insurance then chiropractic massage would cost you somewhere between $30 and $70 for a single visit.
How Much Does A Spinal Decompression Cost Without Insurance?
Spinal decompression relieves pressure on the spine and is very important in chiropractic care. Usually, spinal decompression without insurance will cost you between $50 and $250 per session.
Also Read:
- What is Franchise Insurance and How Does it Work?
- Michigan’s Best Renters Insurance (2022)
- How Much Does Ferrari Car Insurance Cost?
- Is Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy Insurance-Covered?
- What is the Cost of a Bactrim Without Insurance?
- Is a Blown Engine Covered by Car Insurance?
- Flood insurance in Massachusetts
- What Is Bobtail Insurance and How Much Does It Cost?
- What Is the Cost of Deviated Septum Surgery With Insurance?
- How to Obtain Insurance Coverage for Septoplasty
- What is Collateral Protection insurance, and how does it work?
- What Does a Zpack Cost Without Insurance?