January 2004

D.C.s find many reasons to choose CBS

For the past eight years, the Chiropractic Benefit Services (CBS) Malpractice Program enjoyed steady growth as more and more doctors of chiropractic discovered its benefits. Last year, when CBS announced it had entered a new underwriting agreement with the CNA insurance organization, even more D.C.s joined what CBS President Timothy Feuling calls the CBS 'community.'

"It's been a terrific year for us, even though it started out a bit shaky because of all the changes in the insurance industry," Feuling noted. Those changes resulted in a new alliance with CNA, a major underwriter. "As they say, one door closes and another opens," Feuling explained philosophically. "In our case, the door that opened led to an even better situation for our insureds."

CNA Casualty Insurance Company ‑‑ the country's fourth largest commercial insurance writer, the 11th largest property and casualty company and the 51st largest life insurance company ‑‑ has an A.M. Best 'A' rating and more than $60 billion in assets. The arrangement with CNA allowed CBS not only to continue offering excellent chiropractic professional liability insurance coverage, but to broaden the insurance coverage offered to include more board dispute coverage and HIPAA coverage.

Although coverage and premiums are considered by many to be the best available to the chiropractic profession, one of the major reasons for the extraordinary growth of CBS and loyalty of its members, is its dedication to supporting the chiropractic profession.

CBS was specifically founded to offer an alternative to medically oriented policies, while still providing the best professional liability coverage available. It also broke new ground by giving discounts to doctors who focus on the detection and correction of vertebral subluxation. "We feel strongly that subluxation correction is the core of the profession, the very heart and soul of chiropractic," states Feuling.

However, he noted that most CBS members also provide adjunctive therapies, nutritional support, and other health care services. "Any chiropractor who considers diagnosing and correcting vertebral subluxation the most important thing they do for their patients should be insured by CBS," Feuling explained. "Doctors who adjust children or promote wellness, should be insured by CBS.  We will protect your right to use subluxation as a primary diagnosis and defend you when you are treating any type of neuromusculoskeletal problem."

He added that CBS membership is for "any doctor who corrects subluxations regardless of whatever else they do as long as they don't practice medicine and try and diagnose disease."

CBS won many admirers by providing substantial financial support of various organizations and efforts focusing on subluxation‑based research, political action and advocacy, and public education. It recently began providing $1,000 scholarships to chiropractic college seniors in order to help graduating students make the transition to practice.

Joni Lorraine Siekawitch, D.C., is one of the many CBS members who made the choice to go with CBS for philosophical reasons. "As a new practitioner, I wanted to make sure the malpractice insurance that I purchased supported my values and philosophy, in other words, supported subluxation‑based chiropractic. The CBS Malpractice Insurance Program does all of that and the service is great."

Rick Humiston, D.C., gave a similar reason for turning to CBS. "I have always wanted to be an 'unadulterated chiropractor' as BJ once wrote. So, being (with) a company like CBS (a chiropractic company for the chiropractor) fits right for my personal choice. I also appreciate the fact that part of my premium dollars go toward chiropractic research," he stated.

Everything in your life must be congruent with your values," agreed CBS members Drs. Daniel & Richelle Knowles. "We go the extra mile in educating our practice members about the services we provide and defining the doctor patient relationship through our terms of acceptance and informed consent document. To be insured by a company that knows that by taking that step you have lowered your malpractice risk only makes common sense. If you are insured by a company that sees otherwise you are only funding your own destruction."

Randy Moze, D.C., put it this way: "CBS Malpractice Insurance supports my style of practice. If you are insured by any other malpractice company, you are funding the demise of the way I feel chiropractic needs to be practiced. Money to CBS supports subluxation‑based practices."

Although CBS's support of subluxation‑based chiropractic is the number one reason doctors give for joining it, there are other considerations as well, including extremely competitive rates.

"CBS Malpractice is my choice for my malpractice coverage because they offer hope and common sense in rating premiums based on how you are classified," stated Michael Shapiro, D.C."

Sometimes, the two reasons are combined: "I have been with CBS for two primary reasons: it is subluxation‑based supporting chiropractic and chiropractors, and the cost is competitive. I also feel a sense of trust being with CBS knowing we support the same things in life regarding health," said Richard Ribellia, D.C.

Also receiving praise is Timothy Feuling's high level of customer service. Doctors are often surprised to call and speak directly to the program's president, but they say his personal involvement is a welcome change from the response they often receive at other companies.

"I remember personally speaking to Timothy Feuling asking questions, and received great support and information on insurance explaining why I should go with CBS," noted Karen Joanson‑Scott, D.C.

Lydia Dever, D.C., remarked on a similar experience. "I am really impressed with the personal service I received as a new member, and the courtesy and thoughtfulness of all the staff members in helping me pick out the right policy for me. That was really important to me as a new doctor."

Providing personal service is of particular importance to Feuling. "It was a doctor of chiropractic who helped me regain my health after a major health problem several years ago. I feel this is one way to pay that doctor ‑‑ and the entire chiropractic profession ‑‑ back for the help given me."

Feuling continues to help doctors even after they join the program. He publishes an electronic newsletter containing a wide variety of articles on risk management.

"Naturally, we'll be there for any CBS doctor who needs help fighting a malpractice charge or a board complaint, but the major thing we want to do is avoid those problems in the first place," he explained. "We want to make sure every doctor understands the procedures and practices that will minimize the risk of lawsuits and complaints. We give them the tools they need to 'bullet proof' their practices."

Feuling says CBS's success can be credited to its dedication to chiropractic, and to individual chiropractors. "That's something we've stressed since our founding eight years ago and will continue to emphasize in the future."

For CBS doctors, that future stretches far into the distance. "As long as you are on purpose, I will be with you," Dr. Ribellia noted. Since CBS has no intention of ever compromising chiropractic principles, that very well may be forever.

Doctors can obtain a free "quick quote" from CBS by visiting the CBS website at www.cbsmalpractice.com or contacting Timothy Feuling at 800‑883‑0412 or by e‑mail at feuling@cbsmalpractice.com.

They can also visit the CBS website at www.cbsmalpractice.com for additional information on risk management topics and advice.