Does Tradewinds Accept Medicare?

This is one of the most common calls we get, so here is the straight answer first. After that comes what Medicare covers for chiropractic care as a general rule, and what to have in hand when you call.

Yes, Tradewinds accepts Medicare

Yes. We accept Medicare, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, and we bill your insurance for you. That includes Medicare, so you are not left filing the claim yourself.

If you have a Medicare Advantage or supplemental plan and it is not one of those, call (340) 690-4994 with your card and we will tell you before you book.

How Medicare generally treats chiropractic care

This next part is general information about the Medicare program nationwide, not a statement about what any one clinic bills.

Medicare Part B, the outpatient medical portion of Original Medicare, covers one specific chiropractic service: manual manipulation of the spine to correct what Medicare's rules call a subluxation, when a chiropractor documents it. That is the extent of the core chiropractic benefit under Original Medicare.

Medicare Part B generally does not cover most of the other things a chiropractic office may offer alongside that manipulation, such as the exam itself, x-rays, therapeutic exercise, massage, or other services, even when they happen during the same visit as a covered adjustment. Those are commonly billed separately, and whether they are covered depends on the specific service and on any other coverage you have, not on Original Medicare's chiropractic benefit.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan instead of, or alongside, Original Medicare, your plan sets its own rules, which can differ from what is described above. Some Medicare Advantage plans cover more of a chiropractic visit, some cover less. Your plan's own documents, or a call to the number on your card, are the most reliable source for what your specific plan pays.

What this means for your visit

Because Medicare's chiropractic benefit is narrow, part of a visit may not be covered even when the adjustment is. If that applies to you, ask what it will cost when you book. Self-pay rates are $120 for the initial exam, $40 for a chiropractic adjustment, and $20 for each therapy. We take HSA and FSA cards. For a longer course of care we can set up payment arrangements, and we accept CareCredit.

One exception to know about: the free MRI review we offer is not available to Medicare patients.

Dr. Keys is the Chair of the Virgin Islands Board of Chiropractic Examiners, a member of the Virgin Islands Chiropractic Society, and the International Chiropractors Association representative for the U.S. Virgin Islands. He has run the clinic since it opened in April 2018, and billing questions go to the same small office that treats you.

If you are not on Medicare

Medicare is only one piece of the insurance and cost picture. Our insurance and costs page lists every plan we accept, the self-pay rates, payment options, auto insurance after a crash, and how visitors and crew pay.

Seniors and Medicare-age patients at Tradewinds

Age and insurance are two different questions. Patients well past 65 are seen at Tradewinds, and the technique is adjusted to the spine in front of us. Our seniors page covers what changes about the care itself after 65. This page is only about how a visit gets paid for.

Getting seen

Call (340) 690-4994 or email info@tradewindschiropractic.com with your Medicare card and any supplemental or Medicare Advantage plan card in hand. We take walk-ins and same-day appointments. We are at the VI Medical Foundation Building, Suite 202, 9150 Estate Thomas, St. Thomas, USVI 00802, just east of Charlotte Amalie and a short drive from the Havensight cruise port and Yacht Haven Grande. There is plenty of parking at the VI Medical Foundation Building, an elevator up to Suite 202, and the building is ADA accessible. Hours are Mon, Wed, Thu: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tue, Fri: 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Closed Sat and Sun. New patient forms are at forms. Tradewinds Chiropractic has more than 180 five-star Google reviews.

Questions patients ask

Does Tradewinds accept Medicare?

Yes. We accept Medicare, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, and we bill your insurance for you. If you also have a Medicare Advantage or supplemental plan, have that card ready when you call (340) 690-4994.

What does Medicare cover for chiropractic care in general?

Nationally, Medicare Part B covers manual manipulation of the spine to correct a documented subluxation. It generally does not cover the exam, x-rays, or other services a chiropractor may provide in the same visit. This is general Medicare policy, not a statement about what any specific clinic bills.

Does Medicare Advantage cover chiropractic differently than Original Medicare?

It can. Medicare Advantage plans set their own rules and sometimes cover more of a chiropractic visit than Original Medicare's benefit, sometimes less. Check your specific plan document, or call us and we can look at what you have.

I am on Medicare. Can I still be seen at Tradewinds?

Yes. We see Medicare patients and bill Medicare for you. If part of your visit is not covered, self-pay rates are $120 for the initial exam, $40 for a chiropractic adjustment, and $20 for each therapy.

What if I have Medicare and a supplemental plan?

Bring both cards to your first call. Supplemental coverage interacts with whatever Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage covers, and confirming both together before you book avoids surprises at checkout.