Doc Levi Chiropractic, PLLC
Dr. Levi Merritt DC, NBC-HWC, CPT

Do I need a referral?

Chiropractors are primary care providers, meaning you do NOT need a referral to be seen.

 

When should I see a chiropractor?

There’s no universal rule for when to see a chiropractor, as minor tweaks and aches happen to everyone. You don’t need to visit a doctor for every little issue. However, here are some general guidelines I recommend:

1. Minor Injuries:
If you have a minor injury that improves about 95% within the first 3-5 days, you likely don’t need treatment. However, if you don’t notice significant improvement within that timeframe, it’s a good idea to seek care. The longer pain persists, the greater the chance it could develop into a chronic condition.

2. Severe Pain:
If your pain level is a 7 or higher on a 0-10 scale (0 = no pain, 10 = unbearable pain), it’s time to seek treatment. High initial pain levels are often a warning sign that your condition could become chronic if left unaddressed. As you can see, addressing pain early is key to preventing long-term issues.

3. General Discomfort:
If you’re feeling stiff, achy, or believe chiropractic care could improve your overall well-being, that’s a valid reason to begin treatment, even without a specific injury.

 

Who can benefit from chiropractic?

Anyone, from colicky infants to great grandparents. Treatment is tailored to your age and present health status.

 

If I see a chiropractor once, do I have to keep coming back?

This is a silly question, but a lot of people ask it. The answer is obviously no.  It’s your body, and you can utilize chiropractic care as you see fit. With that being said, nobody builds muscle after one workout, or increases their range of motion in a single stretching session, or betters their cardiovascular fitness with just one jog.  Making physiological changes takes time and consistent effort. Benefiting from chiropractic care is no different.

 

According to studies, the recommended number of visits per patient at a chiropractic office is approximately 12.  It is similar in a physical therapy office as well.  Treatment plans can range from as little as 4, or as many as 24 visits. Treatment plans vary significantly based upon your diagnosis, your overall health, and your treatment goals.

 

Is chiropractic safe?

Side effects from any treatment are possible.  Side effects from chiropractic treatment are usually short-lived and benign.  Serious complications can arise, but are considered extremely rare. The best way to observe the safety of chiropractic care is to look at our malpractice premiums.  Malpractice rates are essentially determined by risk.  Chiropractors enjoy some of the lowest malpractice premiums in the health care industry.

 

Does the treatment hurt?

Chiropractic adjustments typically do not cause pain. Any residual soreness is usually mild, similar to that of starting a new exercise plan. The “popping” you hear when getting adjusted is just gasses moving within the joint.  The same as when you “pop” your knuckles. We also provide low force instrument assisted adjusting techniques using the impulse instrument. Which you can learn more about here.

 

How much does a visit cost?

Initial examination, diagnosis, and treatment costs 35 dollars.  Follow up visits (treatment) costs 20 dollars. 

 

Do you accept insurance?

We do not accept insurance, workers compensation claims, or personal injury claims at this time.

 

Why don’t you accept insurance?

Insurance companies operate on a straightforward business model: they collect premiums and then minimize payouts by denying or limiting coverage. This raises an important question: who truly benefits from this system?

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Does it help the patient? In theory, yes—much like car insurance, health insurance is designed to share the cost and spread the risk. The idea is that you pay into the system hoping you won’t need it, but if you do, the pooled contributions protect you from financial ruin. Unfortunately, this ideal often falls short in practice. Since 2007, healthcare costs have increased by 21.6%, and medical expenses have remained the leading cause of bankruptcy in America for over a decade. Meanwhile, premiums, co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance rates continue to climb, far outpacing income growth.

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Does it benefit the doctor? Consider the example of a chiropractor who accepts insurance. On average, they charge $60 per visit [1], but they know insurance companies will only reimburse about $40. While the doctor focuses on treating patients, someone else must handle the administrative burden of verifying benefits, negotiating payments, and navigating the ever-changing and complex reporting requirements. This means hiring staff, which significantly increases overhead—administrative expenses now account for up to one-third of chiropractic office costs [2]. As a result, that $40 reimbursement effectively drops to $27. Despite these challenges, patients with insurance still face co-pays averaging $10–$30 per visit [3] . To simplify the process and reduce costs, we’ve opted to charge a flat rate of $20 and skip the insurance hassles altogether.

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Is chiropractic cost effective?

“When considering effectiveness and cost together, chiropractic physician care for low back and neck pain is highly cost-effective, represents a good value in comparison to medical physician care and to widely accepted cost-effectiveness thresholds [4].”