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WEBVTT THE TRIBES HAVE BEEN TRYING TOSTOP THE PIPELINE FEARING ITCOULD HARM THEIR WATER SUPPLY.TONIGHT IN OUR STATE OFADDICTION COVERAGE, NEWHAMPSHIRE CHIROPRACTORS ARETOUTING NEW STUDIES THAT SHOWDEBATE WHO PLAY A BIG ROLE INREDUCING THE AMOUNT OF OPIOIDDRUGS.THEY SAY THERE IS A PROBLEM ASPATIENTS BASED FINANCIALBARRIERS TO ALTERNATIVETREATMENT.IF YOU WANT TO REDUCE THE NUMBEROF OPIOID PRESCRIPTIONS ANDPILLS USED AND POTENTIALLYMISUSED, YOU NEED ALTERNATIVEPAIN MANAGEMENT.CHIROPRACTORS SAY THAT IS WHATTHEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING FORDECADES.>> IT GIVES PEOPLE OPTIONS.AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOSTIMPORTANT THING RIGHT NOW IS TOGIVE PEOPLE OPTIONS FORTREATMENT.ADAM: AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OFTHE NEW HAMPSHIRE CHIROPRACTICASSOCIATION, THEY'RE POINTING TOA TRIO OF RECENT STUDIES SHOWINGTHAT CHIROPRACTIC CARE CUTS DOWNON THE USE OF OPIATE PAIN MEDS.IN ONE, A FORMER DARTMOUTHDOCTOR ANALYZED 33,000 CASES OFLOWER BACK PAIN IN THE NEWNEW HAMPSHIRE.>> HIS PRELIMINARY RESEARCH ISINDICATING THAT THERE'S ABOUT A56% TO 57% REDUCTION IN OPIOIDUSE WHEN CHIROPRACTIC CARE HASBEEN UTILIZED IN A PATIENT'STREATMENT.ADAM: JAMES VARA, THE GOVERNOR'SADVISOR ON ADDICTION ANDBEHAVIORAL HEALTH ALSO KNOWN ASTHE DRUG CZAR, SAYS THE STATENEEDS MORE ALTERNATIVE PAINMANAGEMENT.>> IT BECOMES A QUESTION OF WHATINSURANCES COVER IT AND HOW LONGTHEY COVER IT FOR, AND THAT'SCERTAINLY SOMETHING I'VE LOOKEDAT AND WILL CONTINUE TO.ADAM: CHIROPRACTORS SAY THECURRENT INSURANCE MODEL PUTSPATIENTS ON A PATH TOPRESCRIPTION DRUGS.>> THE PROBLEM THAT IT PRODUCESIS THAT THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUALWHO'S TRYING TO TREAT ACONDITION IS FACED WITH PAYING AHIGH CO-PAY TO VISIT ACHIROPRACTOR OR PAYING ACONSIDERABLY LOWER ONE TO SEE APRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.ADAM: CHANGING THAT DYNAMIC WILLREQUIRE LEGISLATION THAT HASFAILED IN THE PAST. BUT CHIROPRACTORS SAY IN THISONGOING ADDICTION CRISIS, IT'STIME FOR AN ADJUSTMENT.CHIROPRACTIC CARE IS COVEREDUNDER THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HEALTHPROTECTION PROGRAM OR EXPANDEDMEDICAID.AND IF THE PROGRAM LAPSES, SODOES THAT COVERAGE.YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

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If you want to reduce the number of opioid prescriptions and pills being used, and potentially misused, you need alternative pain management. And chiropractors say that's what they've been providing for decades. "It gives people options, and that's probably the most important thing right now is to give people options for treatment," Dr. Mark Stagnone, president of the New Hampshire Chiropractic Association said. At its annual meeting, the association is pointing to a trio of recent studies showing that chiropractic care cuts down on the use of opiate pain medicines. In one of the studies, a former Dartmouth doctor analyzed 33,000 cases of lower back pain in a New Hampshire database. "His preliminary research is indicating that there's about a 56-57 percent reduction in opioid use when chiropractic care has been utilized in a patients treatment," Stagnone said. James Vara, the governor's adviser on addiction and behavorial health, said the state needs more alternative pain management. "It becomes a question of what insurance covers it and how long they cover it for, and that's certainly something I've looked at and will continue to," said Vara. Chiropractors said the current insurance model puts patients on a path to prescription drugs. "The problem that it produces is that the average individual who's trying to treat a condition is faced with paying a high co-pay to visit a chiropractor or paying a considerably lower one to see a primary care physician," Stagnone said. Changing that dynamic will require legislation that has failed in the past. But chiropractors said in this ongoing addiction crisis, it's time for adjustment. Chiropractic care is covered under the New Hampshire Health Protection program, or expanded Medicaid. And if the program lapses, so does that coverage.