ROAD TO PRACTICE:

Iowa

1. Join State Association

Iowa Chiropractic Society

Web page link

https://www.iowadcs.org

Membership Fees

Membership Type Fee
Student FREE
Part-Time $395.00/ year
Regular $735.00/ year
Premium Member $1,410.00/ year

Options for rates billed monthly, quarterly, or annually. Further discounts available for those within their first three years of practice.

 

Member benefits

  • Annual convention 
  • Classifieds
  • Find-a-Doc database
  • Legislative support
  • Local support with TEN districts across the state

2. License Requirements

Website to apply for license: https://dial.iowa.gov/licenses/medical/chiropractic

Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing

NBCE Requirements:

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

NBCE Acupuncture required if practicing. (Requires at least 100 hours of traditional, in person classroom instruction.)

NBCE SPEC is required.

 

STATE SCOPE OF PRACTICE:

Contact State for precise definition by state law.

Includes active chiropractic physiotherapy, acupuncture (where eligible), and adjustment/manipulation of neuromusculoskeletal structures. To be utilized with a differential diagnosis with a physical examination to determine human ailments, or absence thereof, utilizing principles taught by chiropractic colleges. 

Link to scope of practice (updated 05/15/2024) https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/05-29-2024.645.43.pdf 

 

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

  • Biennial renewal
  • 40 hours
  • Accepts PACE

3. Getting Your NPI Number

(New Practioner Identification) Number

4. Obtaining an EIN

(Employer Identification Number)

Step by step instructions

https://sa.www4.irs.gov/modiein/individual/index.jsp

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.
Credentialing

As of this writing, most private insurance companies rely on the Council for Affordable Quality Health Care (CAQH) to verify your credentials. You will also need CAQH credentialing for some of the government supplemented participations as well. Others will use Availity for your credentialing, however as of this writing that is becoming less common. Keep in mind, you only need one account on either of these, and then will give permissions to each insurance company you are working to participate with to access your information and to be verified as a provider.

CAQH: information needed can be filled out here: https://proview.caqh.org/Login/

The following is a quick step by step of what things you should select as a chiropractor and documents/information you may need.

  1. NUCC Grouping: Chiropractic Providers
  2. Provider type: Doctor of Chiropractic
  3. Select your state
  4. Social security number
  5. Demographics and contact information
  6. License number(s) and state(s)
  7. Educational information (about your chiropractic school and degree)
  8. Board certified: No (chiropractors are not board certified, and do not need to be)
  9. You may select directory listings and other searchable tags
  10. Practice location(s), including TIN
  11. You may add credentialing contact information if you are using a third party, but if you are doing this yourself you may skip this section.
  12. Malpractice insurance information: company, expiration dates, and policy numbers.
  13. 10 year work history, dates, addresses, etc.
  14. Professional disclosures
  15. Documents to upload:
    1. Standard authorization release; updated every 120 days
    2. Professional liability insurance verification (proof of insurance)
    3. State license (copy)
    4. W9
Participating with a provider

Common insurance companies include Aetna, Ambetter from MHS, Anthem BCBS, CareSource, Cigna, Healthy Indiana Plan, United Health Care

Medicare Participation

Medicaid Participation

Medicaid: Administered by the Iowa Department of Human Services

  • Language limits to correcting spine subluxations demonstrated by x-ray.
    • X-ray not required for those pregnant or under 18
  • Medicaid coverage cannot be used to prevent disease, promote health, prolong and enhance quality of life, or to treat most other spinal diseases or pathological disorders.
  • May bill for interpreter services (T1013)
  • Link to provider manual: https://hhs.iowa.gov/media/4314/download
  • Medicaid networks (with links to join):
Workers Compensation Participation
As defined in the legislation: section 85.27 allows for chiropractic as an option for “reasonable and necessary medical treatment.”