Making the Puzzle Pieces Fit
If you are about to graduate with your chiropractic degree, you are eager to get going, treat patients and pay off your school loans.
Where to start?
School has prepared you to take care of patients, but what about setting up practice?
The steps you take before graduation day will help to make the transition to practice smoother.
You will find that the puzzle pieces have to fall in a sequential order. Many times, one piece of the puzzle needs to be completed, before you can apply for the next.
The first step, prior to receiving your diploma, is to inquire with the state licensing board for the state you will be practicing in, to see what the requirements are for licensure.
Many times, you can apply for the license before graduation and once processed, they will hold your application until they receive the copy of your diploma. By “pre-registering,” you can often save three to four weeks processing time for your license.
Once you receive your license, you can then apply for your malpractice insurance at NCMIC and your NPI number.
The NPI number is a 10-digit number that will stay with you wherever you may practice in your career. It is the number that will identify you for billing, no matter where you practice.
Second - and very important of course - is to get your diploma. Once you get the actual diploma, many doctors or their families want to rush out and get the diploma framed and hung on the wall – any wall! Before getting your diploma framed, make multiple copies of the diploma; you will need them for applications to the state, NCMIC, Medicare and for your NPI number.
Third, apply to Medicare for your provider number and any other Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) that you wish to get into. This may take up to five months.
You can still see Medicare patients in the meantime, but hold off sending in any claims until you get approval. Also, make sure to remember to read the PPO contracts! Some PPOs are not worth getting involved, for any price.
Your Action Plan:
- Three weeks before graduation, apply for state license.
- Make multiple (20) copies of your diploma.
- Once you have your license number, apply for malpractice at NCMIC.
- Apply on-line for your NPI number.
- Apply for Medicare and PPO approval.
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by Mario Fucinari, D.C., C.C.S.P