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Join ICS / Join Advantage

The Advantage Chiropractic Network, Inc. builds relationships between chiropractic physicians and payors in order to obtain enhanced contracts covering more lives and to promote chiropractic care throughout Iowa.

Advantages of Memberships
The Advantage Chiropractic Network, Inc. is a not-for-profit Independent Practice Association (IPA) of chiropractic physicians. Advantage provides representation for its members with insurers, self-insured employers, and third-party administrators.

Advantage is a special benefit for members of the Iowa Chiropractic Society (ICS) and its purpose is to give ICS members a consistent, effective way to reach the managed care marketplace. Many insurers, PPO network organizations and HMO's prefer to contract through Advantage in order to reduce their cost of contracting and to assure themselves that they have a high quality panel of chiropractic physicians.

Membership in Advantage provides you:

• The strength of one voice speaking for chiropractic with payors to:

  • Mediate contract language

  • Communicate your individual payment requirements

  • Explore risk and reward arrangements

• Expert advice on payment contracts:

  • Evaluation of payor contracts

  • Payment comparisons of various payors

• Reduced hassle with payor contracts:

  • One credentialing process for many payors

  • Advantage support when you have a problem with a payor

• Advantage News sent to you via fax or e-mail at least monthly. Each edition of the Advantage News includes a message from the chair, member recognition, breaking news regarding managed care and related information.

• Advantage Reports consists of a series of special reports written by our legal consultation or marketing, and insurance consultants. Members are provided with a binder for these reports.

• Advantage Member-only Website

• Free Admission to the annual cutting-edge Advantage Seminar C.E. program

The Advantage Approach
Through its network of more than 360 qualified chiropractors located throughout Iowa, Advantage offers payors a convenient and effective way to offer access to chiropractic care to their enrollees. Contracting with Advantage allows payors to meet their obligation under Iowa law to include benefits for chiropractic health care.

For its members, Advantage assures your representation to payors on such issues as: access, coverage, price, and other terms that affect the value of your practice. Advantage membership means you are part of an Independent Practice Association designed to effectively represent its chiropractic physician members.

Membership Requirements
Membership is reserved for members of the Iowa Chiropractic Society who meet the credentialing requirements established by the Advantage Board of Directors.

These requirements include:

• Doctor of Chiropractic degree from an institution accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education

• Possession of an unrestricted license to practice Chiropractic in state of which you are practicing

• No current reimbursement restrictions from Medicare, Medicaid, or any other third party reimbursement program

• No pending disciplinary action by the Iowa Board of Chiropractic Examiners

• No current sanctions of any kind by any person or entity for improper procedures or actions

• Generally good mental and physical health

• Possession of professional and comprehensive general liability insurance policies with coverage of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 annual aggregate or the minimum coverage required by state law, whichever is more. Although most contracts requires $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 per annual aggregate

Membership Fees
The annual membership fee for calendar year 2005 is $150 with a one-time credentialing fee of $100 for new members. If you choose, you may make quarterly payments. It is expected that this fee will be reduced annually based on the revenue generated by the network.

A History of Service and Commitment
Founded in 1964, the Iowa Chiropractic Society provides leadership, advocacy, and resources that promote professional excellence and quality patient care in chiropractic to people in Iowa. In 1998 more than 150 chiropractic physicians made the investment required to become founding contributors of the Advantage Chiropractic Network. Since then, they have worked together to develop a solid organizational infrastructure, secured contracts of high quality, and recruited a network of other outstanding chiropractic physicians.

Advantage has now credentialed more than 360 chiropractic physicians, making it the most geographically complete network of its kind available in Iowa. Our goal is to complete the statewide "blanket" of providers to assure that every potential chiropractic patient has an Advantage network member within easy driving distance.

The Advantage mission remains the same: to build relationships between chiropractic Physicians and payors, to obtain enhanced contracts covering more lives, and to promote chiropractic care throughout the state.

Current Contracts
The Advantage Chiropractic Network current payors includes the following contracts:

Contact Advantage for the latest list of payors.

© 2005 Iowa Chiropractic Society  |  800/475-6178  |   ICS@iowadcs.org