ICBC customers injured in an automobile accident are fully covered for chiropractic treatment whether they are at fault or not.
Started in 2009 as a pilot project, ICBC’s Chiropractic Treatment Program has been so successful it is now permanent and one where the insurance corporation pays for all costs related to chiropractic treatment directly to the chiropractor – the customer pays nothing out of pocket.
“Our goal is to help customers recover as quickly as possible. Customers who have been injured in a crash and have coverage through ICBC can begin treatment immediately after they report their claim,” said ICBC spokesman Adam Grossman in an e-mail. “They do not need to get approval from their adjuster or doctor first.”
It also in one’s best interests to see a doctor and receive treatment as soon as possible after an automobile accident, according to experts.
“I think that the research shows that if people get checked for soft-tissue injuries in a short time frame, within a few weeks after a car accident, and then they [go] in for soft tissue treatment ... we can get people fixed up in a quicker time frame than if they go into, what we call chronic pain, which is when they have injuries for over six months,” said Katia Langton, a chiropractor.
Chris Anderson, another chiropractor and Langton’s husband, said sprains, strains, joint injuries, disc injuries, and muscle tears can be caused by car accidents and in some instances, more serious injures such as nerve injuries, fractures and concussions can occur as well.
“The idea behind the rapid access to treatment is more effectively you can treat the problem and you can solve the issue then the less likely it is to devolve into more of a chronic pain problem that has a lot more impact,” he said.
Grossman said customers can choose to go to any chiropractor, although not all chiropractors are taking part in the program, and ICBC adjusters can provide a list of participating chiropractors.
A list of chiropractors is also listed at www.icbc.com/claims/find_chiropractor.