Chiropractic Services

Medicare covers chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT) only when performed by a licensed chiropractor who meets CMS IOM standards and when the patient has a spinal subluxation demonstrated by x-ray or physical exam with a direct therapeutic relationship and reasonable expectation of improvement. Coverage is limited to manual spinal manipulation (no extraspinal manipulation, no chiropractor-performed payable diagnostics), maintenance care is not covered, and specific documentation (precise spinal levels, objective findings, and for exacerbations the date/onset) is required; multiple absolute and relative contraindications to dynamic thrust must be observed and documented.

"Chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT) is covered when performed by a chiropractor who is legally authorized/licensed in the state/jurisdiction and who meets CMS Internet-Only Manual (IOM) unifo..."