Going from Baltimore to New York,  I like to travel in comfort.   Going from my home in the city to my office in Owings Mills,  it’s more about getting there on time and arriving safely.

In both situations,  I want all of that … comfort, safety and timeliness.

But the order of priority changes depending on my objective.

It is similar to our journey through life.  Priorities change when our objectives change.

In my years involved with chiropractic, I have been challenged by wanting to make chiropractic available and affordable to everyone.   I followed a standard that taught how to attract patients and give them what they wanted and expected.  This standard basically is derived from a medical business model … which relies on the use of insurance.

Throughout the years of participating and observing this model,  I have realized that chiropractic cannot fit into that model.

As a chiropractor and as a consumer of healthy things,  I noticed a major dichotomy in my relationships … business and personal.   If a family of 4 wanted to receive regular chiropractic care  (2x/month),  how would they be able to swing it for very long … without insurance.

Insurance is not about healthy living.   It is about getting out of  a crisis.   Many families are proactive and  interested in wellness.   That is, staying out of the crisis level, if possible.

In my view, chiropractic has been promoted as a necessity and this has lead to discovering ways in which insurance could be utilized for care.  This unfortunately creates a cycle of insurance barriers,  set up to eliminate or limit  chiropractic care.  Chiropractors and their associations have developed methods to overcome those barriers.

I believe that chiropractic should be a necessity for anyone who desires to live life to their fullest potential (I don’t think there is an insurance code for that).  Just as exercise, nutrition, a positive attitude, etc. might be considered necessary for anyone who desires to maximize their health potential, many people would consider those things to be luxuries.

Over the years my objective has changed based on the lessons I’ve learned.  As a result, so have my priorities.  I think that chiropractic’s position should align itself with the concept of being in the category of a luxury … at this time.  I propose that we stop trying to fit this wellness-based, optimal-potential health field in the same category as sickness-based entities.

Is drinking bottled water a necessity or a luxury?  Are using vitamins and eating organically grown foods a necessity or a luxury?

Would the world be better served if chiropractic were viewed more as a luxury?

I have decided to help people by offering them a luxury that is affordable – especially without insurance.

Thoughts?