AMI and the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations (COCSA):  A Strategic Alliance to Promote Chiropractic’s Role in the Future of Integrative Medicine.

It is rare to find a company that can effectively bridge “the gap” between the needs of the patient/the provider and the numerous health care payers in a highly complex and regulated business environment.  AMI  is that rare company that has the ability to speak the language of all parties involved and focus on the common denominators, not the differences, that bring these three parties to together in an effort to create an effective healthcare system. 

Since its inception AMI has earned the respect of all three stakeholders by its focus on scientifically verifiable, quality driven outcomes as the only legitimate variable for the discussion of covered medical benefits and the decision process for utilization management. 

It is for this reason that on July 18, 2007 the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations (COCSA) announced its endorsement of AMI. By giving formal recognition to AMI’s outcome measurement based approach as the methodology best suited to facilitating the health and well-being of chiropractic patients, as well as the fair and objective evaluation of doctors of chiropractic, a reasonable approach to the value based purchasing of chiropractic care for health care payers can be supported.

COCSA, in its role as a clearing house to help solve mutual member state associations problems on a non-partisan basis, recognized that the chiropractic benefit management strategies currently in use by the majority of insurance companies and managed care organizations are failed models. These strategies are counterproductive to quality chiropractic care and optimally effective outcomes for patients.

In keeping with its responsibilities to advance natural health and chiropractic by initiating special projects with other organizations, COCSA’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to endorse AMI’s outcome-based chiropractic management model. COCSA has initiated a collaborative effort with AMI to raise awareness as to the benefits of this innovative approach to solve the widespread problems experienced by its member states and the health care market at large.

A year into this joint project we are proud to announce that much progress has been made:  numerous presentations to state legislative bodies, insurance carriers and self funded ERISA plans have occurred as a result of this joint effort. Many state associations have taken the lead from COCSA’s board and their respective organizations by joining forces with the AMI sales team in a true collaborative effort to move their profession ahead on a scientifically solid platform for the future.  It is only a matter of time before the seeds that have been jointly sowed bear fruit. 

For a more detailed description of this endorsement, including quotes from COCSA’s President Jerry DeGrado, click here.

AMI’s VP of Professional Development, John Galbreath, D.C. serves as AMI’s liason in this collaborative project.  He can be reached at jgalbreath@amibestmed.com