UHC Issues Stay on 'Flawed' Policy on Children and Headaches; Profession Unites Behind ACA-CCGPP-Led Effort Arlington, Va. - Following unprecedented outrage and unified action by chiropractic organizations across the country, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) has issued a stay on its flawed and discriminatory policy restricting chiropractic care for adolescents, children and patients with headaches -- pending additional review.  The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is hailing the change in UHC’s position as an example of the type of progress that can be achieved when the profession unites behind a single cause. During an Oct. 25 meeting with members of the ACN Group Chiropractic Professional Advisory Council (CPAC), UHC Senior Medical Policy Director Dr. Richard Justman reportedly apologized for the way in which the policy was developed and called for it to be put on hold and reviewed immediately.  Dr. Justman has asked that a collaborative review of the literature be done in conjunction with ACN Group and important stakeholders in the chiropractic profession.  The review must be completed and submitted within 90 days. "UHC’s decision to review this policy is a victory for millions of chiropractic patients – young and old – who rely on chiropractic care to keep them well," announced ACA President Dr. Glenn Manceaux.  "The profession made it clear to UHC that this policy was incredibly harmful to the patients we serve and an insult to the chiropractic profession.  The ACA is proud to have led this effort, which serves as a very important reminder that there is strength in numbers. When all corners of the profession work together with a single vision and a single voice, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. It also underscores the critical role research and evidence play in the reimbursement world and the need for insurers to consult with the chiropractic profession before implementing changes that negatively affect our patients." Earlier this month, at the ACA's urging, chiropractic organizations banded together to fight the new UHC policy which described chiropractic care for children and headache patients as "unproven."  The ACA, ACC, COCSA, CCGPP, FCER and ICA signed on to a joint letter to UHC opposing the "flawed" and "unconscionable" policy and supporting a detailed CCGPP analysis and critique of UHC's stance. The ACA Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics also submitted a separate response to UHC. "The chiropractic profession will stand united against this spurious action by UHC," the groups announced in a joint news release accompanying the letter. "We will take all necessary action to stop this harmful policy from being implemented. The chiropractic profession supports the appropriate application of EBM to clinical practice, whether chiropractic or medical.  But we will not sit back and allow our doctors of chiropractic and their expert conservative care to be singled out and treated unfairly -- by being held to a higher standard than our colleagues in other health care disciplines." Contact our local chiropractor to help relieve your chronic back pain