In an effort to continue open communication with insurers, International Osteopathic Association (IOA); one of the largest manual osteopathy associations in the world, has begun distributing a semi-annual newsletter to representatives of the insurance industry.
We have also begun a telephone support program for insurers’ policy development and claims staff. Staff members in our Insurance Relations Department make periodic contact with insurance representatives to discuss concerns regarding manual osteopathy claims and to share any new IOA resources. IOA’s goal is to simplify and expedite the manual osteopathy claims process for the insurance industry.
IOA is mandated with the task of licensing osteopaths globally. IOA only licenses osteopaths who have graduated from an accredited osteopathic educational program of over 2000 hours, and who have successfully passed exams administered by either the Canadian Manual Osteopathy Examining
Board (CMOEB) or the International Osteopathy Examining Board (IOEB). The IOA registered osteopaths must also adhere to the code of ethics and the clinical guidelines established by IOA with heavy emphasis on fraud prevention. IOA has also a disciplinary process and complaints can be registered against IOA members by the insurers..
A list of all IOA registered members are mailed semi-annually to the insurance industry, managed care organizations, third party payers, & Workers’ Safety & Insurance Boards (WSIB). All MVA insurance adjusters, EHP claims managers and WSIB case workers are more than welcome to check with IOA in regards to the validity of the license number submitted for manual osteopathy billing by any manual osteopath submitting a claim.
International Osteopathic Association is committed to work with all insurers (including workers’ compensation, auto insurers and extended health plan providers among others) to help them compensate for manual osteopathy services that are standard and medically necessary. As such insurers can rest assured that any member of IOA follows the code of ethics and standard business practices established by IOA.
Insurers should note that rendering a diagnosis and performing spinal and joints manipulative therapy are controlled acts in many jurisdictions and only regulated health professional such as physicians, surgeons and doctors of chiropractic may render a diagnosis or perform manipulations. IOA registered manual osteopaths follow the health rules and regulations established by the authorities in the jurisdictions they practice. Insurers can rest assured IOA members refrains from rendering a diagnosis and will not perform spinal manipulation. Instead they limit their practice only to treatment and management of conditions associated with disorders of muscles, bones, nerves and joints. IOA members only use scientific, researched proven manual osteopathy techniques such as soft tissue therapy and joint mobilization.
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