Medicare US$285 million chiropractic overpayment

In June 2005, the US Office of the Inspector General published a report investigating chiropractic services in the Medicare programme based on data from 2001. The report found that Medicare had paid out US$285 million for services that were not covered by the plan. Fifty-seven per cent of the services charged for were not covered. This overpayment was largely for ‘maintenance care’, which Medicare defines as medically unnecessary and therefore does not cover. The report concludes by recommending ways of minimising overpayment.

http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-09-02-00530.pdf, accessed 19 August 2005