The Ohio State Chiropractic Association is touting what its members believe to be a clear path Ohioans can take to cut down on opioid addiction. This path would take a culture change when it comes to the reputation of alternative medicine.
Pat Ensminger of Warren says chiropractic care is just one of many ways to treat pain without addictive opioids.
Ensminger and the OSCA says there are obstacles to connecting a patient to a chiropractor, including getting primary care physicians and insurance plans to take this treatment more seriously.
“We have an influence on our patients to seek non-drug care,” Ensminger says. “It should be worth a premium. It should be worth a benefit package to allow the public to seek that care.”
The association says this culture change can start with reaching out to student athletes and medical students about the role chiropractic can play in pain treatment.
The association added that they've attempted to work with the Ohio Department of Medicaid and the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation to remove barriers to access, but the association says those agencies have been unwilling to make changes.
The Medicaid department and the Ohio BWC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
