Complete Story
05/27/2026
The Cost of Looking Away
By Dr. Scott Taylor
Hey, I’m Dr. Scott Taylor. Like many of you, I’ve spent the last 15 years practicing right here in Arizona. I’ve seen the incredible highs of this profession, but lately, I’ve also been seeing the increasing frustrations that sit between us and our patients. I’m in the trenches with you, navigating the same challenges every day.
None of us chose chiropractic to become experts in insurance litigation or TPA appeals. We chose it because we saw a life change on our table. We understood—perhaps before the rest of the medical world—that the body has an extraordinary capacity to heal, and we wanted to be the ones to facilitate that. That mission hasn't changed. But the system has.
Let me tell you about a patient of mine, Let's call her Maria. She came in with years of chronic neck and lower back pain. She’s on a plan administered through a TPA, so you already know the drill: non-negotiable contracts and restrictive utilization policies that prioritize spreadsheets over symptoms.
We built her an evidence-informed care plan. It was exactly what she needed to get her life back. But then the denials started. 'Clinical necessity not met.' 'Service bundled.'
When the insurance said 'no' and Maria couldn't afford out-of-pocket care, she stopped coming. She didn't get better; she just got lost. She’s now bouncing between providers, getting fragmented care that never addresses the root cause. Her story is common, and it’s heartbreaking.
But there’s another side to this: what happens to you when this is your daily reality. You don’t quit, but you adapt. Care plans get shorter. Decisions get more cautious. You stop fighting the extra visit because the paperwork feels like a losing battle. This 'slow drift' costs our patients their health and costs us our professional identity.
The AAC Reimbursement Fairness Committee exists because we believe this is fixable. Through collective data, advocacy, and a unified voice, we can push back against these systemic barriers.
I’m asking you to remember why you started. Maria deserved better. Doing nothing is no longer an option. Every day we wait, patients like Maria fall through the cracks.
Join us now. Get connected with the AAC Reimbursement Fairness Committee and learn exactly how you can help drive change—your involvement matters more than you think.
To find out more about how to get involved, contact Dr. Jeff Trinka at jefftinka@gmail.com
