ROAD TO PRACTICE:

ARKANSAS

1. Join State Association

The Arkansas Chiropractic Physicians Association

Web page link

https://archiro.org/

Application

https://acpa.ce21.com/Search/MembershipTypesList

Membership Fees

Membership Type Fee
1st Year $0.00
2nd Year $100.00
Silver $300.00
Gold $600.00
Platinum $1,320.00
Diamond $1,620.00

Member benefits

The 1st Year Grad membership includes 24 hours of continuing education from the Spring/Fall conventions. Along with legislative updates throughout the year.

The 2nd Year Grad membership includes up to 24 hours of in person continuing education from the Spring/Fall conventions. Along with legislative updates throughout the year.

The Silver membership includes up to 24 hours of in-person continuing education at any one seminar throughout the year, excluding December. Along with legislative updates throughout the year.

The Gold membership includes 24 hours of continuing education at any one seminar throughout the year, excluding December. Along with legislative updates throughout the year.

The Platinum membership includes all continuing education seminars offered by the ACPA, banquet tickets for the fall & spring convention, and legislative updates throughout the year.

2. License Requirements

Applying for NBCE Exams

NBCE requirements

  • Parts I*, II*, III* and IV*: Required – PASSING SCORE IS 375

  • Physiotherapy*: Required – PASSING SCORE IS 375

State Specific Exams

Jurisprudence exam (Will be mailed to the applicant upon receipt of application)

Applying for a license

Application Process

The Arkansas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners offers a new doctor orientation four times a year. January, April, July, and October. The new doctor orientation is a prerequisite to licensure.

  • Must be 21 years of age.
  • Copy of Chiropractic diploma, or date you will graduate
  • Official Chiropractic transcript (Sent directly from college) to show 120 classroom hours of physiological therapeutics and not less than 4,400 fifty minute resident class hours or not less than 4 years of 9 academic months.
  • Official Undergraduate transcript(s) (Sent directly from college) Applicant must have not less than a total of sixty (60) semester hour credits, of which a minimum of thirty (30) semester hour credits must be in science subjects such as biology, zoology, chemistry, math, or other like subjects, with no less than a “C” average.
  • Official National Board Transcript (Sent directly from NBCE) to include scores for Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV (minimum score of 375), and Physiological Therapeutic
  • Letter of recommendation (must be from a doctor of five years of experience and printed on his/her letterhead)
  • Criminal Background check
    • A completed, signed, and notarized release form and fingerprint cards (Will be mailed to the applicant upon receipt of the application)
    • Arkansas Resident Applicants:
      • Forms will be emailed upon receipt of the application
    • Copy of your driver’s license
  • Verification of licensure in good standing from all other states (s) where you are licensed or have held a license- if applicable.
  • Jurisprudence exam (Will be mailed to the applicant upon receipt of application)
  • Incomplete applications are kept on file for one year. All application fees are non-refundable.
  • All application materials including the JP exam and fingerprint packet, other than the National Board Part IV score, must be received by the Executive Director of the ASBCE with a postmark or electronic receipt of no later than 45 days prior to the orientation date. The National Board Part IV score must be in the hands of the Executive Director of the ASBCE with the postmark no later than 7 days before the orientation date.

Applicants that have NOT graduated from Chiropractic College:

  • An approved applicant will be permitted to sit for this Board’s orientation provided the applicant’s date of graduation from Chiropractic College precedes the date of the next regularly scheduled examination by no more than six (6) months.
  • Upon graduation, you must request that the college mail to our office an official transcript and a copy of your diploma. Your license will be held until proof of graduation is received.

License Application Link:

https://asbce.portalus.thentiacloud.net/webs/portal/#/

Application Fees:

Application Fee $150.00
State/FBI Background Check Fee $36.25
Orientation Fee $50.00
Application Fee Total $236.25

State Scope of Practice

Contact State for precise definition by state law.

Practice of Chiropractic means the engagement in the diagnosis and analysis of and any interference with normal nerve transmission and expression, the procedure preparatory to and complementary to the correction thereof by an adjustment of the articulations of the vertebral column, its immediate articulations, or by other incidental adjustments for the restoration and maintenance of health and includes therapy, the normal regimen and rehabilitations of the patient for the purpose of removing any injury, deformity, or abnormality of human beings without the use of drugs or surgery. The Practice of Chiropractic shall not include the performance of the duties, of a mid-wife or obstetrician, therapy by the use of ionizing radiation, incisive surgery, prescribing for or administering to any person any drug to be taken internally, or puncturing the skin, except for the purpose of drawing blood for diagnostic purposes.

Continuing Education

PLEASE NOTE: It is the responsibility of the chiropractor to obtain the certificate of attendance and mail it to the Board office with the license renewal during the license renewal period.

 In compliance with provisions of the Arkansas Chiropractic Practices Act, each licensed Doctor of Chiropractic, practicing in this State, must annually submit evidence to the Arkansas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners of having satisfactorily completed not less than twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education, acquired during the preceding twelve (12) months, conducted by an approved chiropractic college, institution or at the approved educational course, program or seminar. A maximum of twelve (12) distance-based learning credit hours may be submitted by a licensee during each licensing period.

https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/asbce-continuing-education

3. Getting Your NPI Number

(New Practioner Identification) Number

4. Obtaining an EIN

(Employer Identification Number)

Note: This is your tax ID number as a practitioner

 

TYPE OF BUSINESS BREAKDOWN

Business Structure

Ownership

Liability

Taxes

Sole Proprietorship

One person

Unlimited personal liability

Personal tax only

Partnership

Two or more persons

Unlimited personal liability unless structured as a limited partnership

Self-employment tax (except for limited partnership), Personal tax

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Two or more persons

Owners are not personally liable

Self-employment tax, Personal tax or Corporate tax

Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC)

Two or more persons

Owners are not personally liable

Self-employment tax, Personal tax or Corporate tax

Corporation – C Corp

One or more persons

Owners are not personally liable

Corporate tax

Corporation – S Corp

One or more persons, but no more than 100 and all must be US citizens

Owners are not personally liable

Personal tax

Corporation – B Corp

One or more persons

Owners are not personally liable

Corporate tax

Corporation – Nonprofit 

One or more persons

Owners are not personally liable

Tax-exempt, but corporate can’t be distributed

Note: The difference between an LLC and a PLLC is that all members of PLLC are required to be designated professionals.

What is an Associate?

An associate receives pay from the office by which they are employed. If you are an associate who will be dealing with vendors for selling goods, you should consider getting an EIN.

What is an independent Contractor?

An independent contractor receives pay from their patients and insurance companies directly. If you are an independent contractor, you need an EIN.

5. Obtaining Malpractice Insurance

Malpractice Insurance Providers

What To Consider When Selecting A Plan

Claims Made

A policy providing coverage that is triggered when a claim is made against the insured during the policy period, regardless of when the wrongful act that gave rise to the claim took place. (The one exception is when a retroactive date is applicable to a claims-made policy.)

Occurrence

An occurrence policy covers claims resulting from an injury or another event that occurs during the policy term. Coverage depends on the timing of the event. A claims-made policy covers claims that are made during the policy period.

Tail Coverage

An addition to a claims-made policy. It extends coverage for incidents that happened during the time you had your policy, but a claim was not filed until after your policy expired or was canceled. Tail coverage is another name for an extended reporting period.

Note: $1 Million/$3 Million is the minimum plan required in order to participate with some Insurance Companies.

6. Participating with Insurance Providers

Note: Before starting a practice in an area, check to see whether the Insurance Companies are accepting new providers.
Participating with a provider
Medicare Participation

Medicaid Participation

Medicaid and ARKids First cover chiropractic care. Patients need a referral from their PCP. There is a limit to the number of visits Medicaid will pay for if patients are 21 or older. Patients with ARKids First-B (CHIP Title XXI funded), will have to pay a co-payment for each visit.

Chiropractic Services providers must meet the Provider Participation and enrollment requirements contained within Section 140.000 of this manual as well as the following criteria to be eligible to participate in the Arkansas Medicaid Program:

  1. The provider must be licensed to practice in his or her state. A copy of the current license must accompany the provider application and Medicaid contract.
  2. The provider must be enrolled in the Title XVIII (Medicare) Program.
Worker’s compensation