Chiropractic Benefit Services (CBS) has announced the appointment of Timothy Feuling as president of the chiropractic malpractice insurance program. Feuling has served as Vice President and Marketing Director.

The rapid growth of the program, which now insures some 10,000 doctors of chiropractic throughout the U.S., spurred the promotion, as well as the hiring of several additional support staff members.

"When a doctor calls CBS, we want to make sure they always get through to a representative," Feuling stated. "I've heard too many horror stories about doctors needing help or advice and not being able to reach anyone about their insurance. That's not going to happen with CBS."

CBS' customer service has always been one of the major draws for doctors, who frequently speak directly to Feuling about their insurance needs or malpractice problems.

"We put the doctors first," Feuling said. "And we prove it by being there for them, whether they are calling to change their coverage or find out how they can protect themselves from board complaints and malpractice lawsuits."

Part of the customer service offered by CBS is access to a wide range of articles and resources about risk management and insurance issues. CBS provides a bi-weekly electronic newsletter that has covered such topics as "Should you Settle?," "Refuting the Mercy Guidelines in Court," "Sexual Misconduct," and "Tips for Better Record Keeping."

Feuling's monthly column on insurance issues also appears in The Chiropractic Journal.

In addition, CBS published a "Malpractice Prevention Program," which included sample forms and letters such as Terms of Acceptance, Chiropractic Case History, Narratives for Use With Attorneys, and many others. The book is available online at the CBS website, www.cbsmalpractice.com.

"Information is the key to finding the right coverage, avoiding lawsuits, successfully defending against them, and fighting unjust board complaints," Feuling noted.

He added that CBS's willingness to provide accurate and documented facts about malpractice coverage is one reason the program has drawn fire from some competitors.

"Until we came along, many doctors didn't know anything about hammer clauses or right to settle provisions," Feuling said. "They didn't know that in many cases, they weren't covered for some of the most common charges, such as sexual misconduct or board complaints. Many doctors were shocked to learn about the 'small print' in their policies."

During an economic downturn that has seriously impacted the insurance industry, CBS has continued to grow at an impressive rate.

"Many insurance programs, including those run by medical doctors and offering chiropractic coverage, have gone bankrupt, leaving their policy holders in a terrible financial situation," Feuling explained. "In contrast, CBS has continued to grow both in size and in financial stability. It's a success story that we're all very proud of."

The success has benefitted not only policy holders, but the chiropractic profession in general.

CBS is a leading contributor to subluxation-related research and activities. It is the principle funding source for a long-term study of the effect of vertebral subluxation on the human immune system being conducted in New Zealand, and provided financial support to the Council on Chiropractic Practice (CCP) for the development of subluxation-based chiropractic guidelines.

Feuling stressed that his new position as CBS president will not alter his "open door" policy.

"I have always been available to talk directly to doctors about all kinds of risk management issues and that will not change," he said. "It's hard enough at times to get through to a clerk when you call your insurance company. With CBS, you'll be able to talk to the president if you need to."