I'm short on time so this will not be as thorough as I would like it to be...but I wanted to give you a response and a few links. You should be able to connect some dots from reading the info on those sites. I'll give you the bare-bones outline of the issue:

Some insurance companies WILL cover colon hydrotherapy with the proper Dx and CPT codes. Their job is to reimburse for any covered conditions...not to police who is providing the codes. If the codes are provided, from the insurers standpoint there is no problem.

The problem comes in at the level of professional regulations.

Florida is the ONLY state that licenses colon hydrotherapists! Colon hydrotherapy is virtually an unregulated profession. While CHTs will refer to themselves as 'certified'...this is meaningless as far as any governing body is concerned. Colon hydrotherapist are not operating within their jurisdiction if they are diagnosing and treating a medical condition. (Florida MAY be an exception to this since they are licensed, but it wouldn't surprise me if they weren't...I don't know for certain.)

If you research various colon hydrotherapist's websites...or go to them for a colonic...the vast majority of them will include a disclaimer in the info they provide or on the consent form that they require you to sign. (The smart ones will do this!) This disclaimer will generally state that they do not diagnose, prescribe, treat...blah, blah, blah...any medical condition, and it will refer you to consult with your physician. Here's a link to one such site...check out 'Insurance' and 'Disclaimer'. They do this to protect their butts because they know that if they step over that fine line...they're out of business and may be facing felony charges.

http://www.sheilas.com/office.html

Now, here's where another problem comes in...colon hydrotherapists have been advised by I-ACT to use FDA approved equipment for performing colonics. The International Association for Colon Hydrotherapists (I-ACT) is the largest professional organization for CHTs, although it is self-regulated and has no government affiliation. They are attempting to set standards for CHTs...partly in the hope that they can garner some political muscle and protect the profession. This is not a bad thing...but it has also created a new problem.

The FDA classifies colonic equipment (including disposable speculums and tubing) as Class II or III medical devices...depending on the intended use. Consequently the purchasing and use of this equipment 'should' be done &/or supervised by a licensed health care provider. CHTs/equipment manufacturers have been able to get around this somewhat...they simply obtain/provide a 'prescription' for the equipment...and all sorts of disclaimers. CHTs are 'supposed' to have a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider for each and every colonic they perform with that FDA approved equipment! Obviously, in most cases this doesn't happen and most CHTs get away with it. Most...but not all!!!

I know of at least two clinics that were raided...equipment seized, doors locked, and charges filed...simply because the facilities did not have prescriptions for all their booked colonics and there was no licensed healthcare practitioner supervising the use of the colonic equipment...FDA approved medical device. (These are the lesser offenses I referred to in my previous post.) Mind you, no one had been harmed...no complaints had been filed by clients...they just cracked down on them BECAUSE THEY COULD!!!

Here are a couple of links that should give you a better idea of what I mean...

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=295

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:8kMj9dJdslsJ:www.oag.state.tx.us/newspubs/releases/2003/hydro6.pdf+medical+device+classification+colon+irrigation&hl=en&client=safari


I hope this info has helped you to understand the situation better and also the reason for my post. I didn't mean to rain on your parade...just wanted to fill you (and other readers) in on the potential consequences to CHTs and the profession as a whole.

I went through an I-ACT approved training program and I am a certified CHT. During my training we were repeatedly cautioned against diagnosing, 'treating'...or even implying in the slightest way that we were doing so (ie. clients, NOT patients). Bottom line...it's a real sticky web, CHTs are walking on thin ice as it is, and they shouldn't do anything that might raise an eyebrow or draw 'special' attention to themselves.

And, yep...it sucks!!!

*You might want to pass this info along to your CHT...who may not even be aware of what s/he could possibly be stepping in!!!