Dr. Phil Yamamoto *CRACKS THE BACKS* of Fraudulent Chiropractors' Rip-Offs

March 5, 2011 - PRLog -- This Dr. Phil is helping crack the back of chiropractor’s consumer rip-offs and fraud.
DR PHIL YAMAMOTO: The Principled Chiropractor

These are difficult times for patients who believe they might benefit from visiting a chiropractor to help with chronic or new pain. Scams and rip-offs are all over the news: In suburban Philadelphia, a chiropractor attempted to defraud patients and insurance companies of more than $1.9 million. In Horesham, Ala., another chiropractor was caught trying to bilk customers and insurance companies out of more than $3 million.  A Baton Rouge, La. chiropractic office manager was recently charged with 39 counts of theft and insurance fraud.  

In times like these, who’s got your back…literally? Who knows the tricks the unscrupulous use to fleece the innocent?  California Doctor of Chiropractic PHIL YAMAMOTO calls himself the “Principled Chiropractor”, and is on a one-man crusade to separate the good guys from the ones who will be a pain in the neck, rather than make that pain go away.

“Most chiropractors get into the business because they honestly want to help people,” DR. PHIL says. “Unfortunately, they’re taught a certain way to do things and when it doesn’t work, many think they have no alternative and turn to more dodgy methods.”

The kind of chiropractic pitch YAMAMOTO urges potential patients to watch out for typically starts with a very difficult-to-guarantee claim to make your pain go away without drugs or surgery, and that in itself is often enough to get people who are suffering into the office.  Once there, some doctors will charge expensive entrance fees, perform pseudo-medical exams, and foist tons of paperwork on the patient.  In most offices, a patient won’t even be adjusted on the first visit because the chiropractor will profess a need to “study the x-rays and exam findings.”

“That’s a flat out lie!” DR. PHIL says. “They won’t adjust you on the first visit because they want to prepare anticipation and a little anxiety for the next visit. They will also tell you to bring in your spouse or significant other for something called the Report of Findings or what I call The Big Sales Pitch, which usually involves the chiropractor comparing a patient’s personal x-rays to “normal” ones. It’s then followed by an attempt to frighten the patient into a something called “Corrective Care Plan”, which could be a year long program that involves multiple office visits at $35-$55 each. Sometimes the office will try to sell one-year package that could be $2000 or $3000 or more for justone person.  The question you have to ask is, what it would cost to go to any other chiropractor for one person, for one adjustment, for one time?  Be aware that you and your family could see some practitioners for an entire month for unlimited adjustments with something called The Unlimited Chiropractic Plan at a much smaller flat fee.  It’s a no brainer. Why pay more? Always compare before you sign on the dotted line,” says DR. PHIL.  

“Unfortunately, the sky-high pricing for some of these guys is a real racket,” DR. PHIL says. “But it doesn’t have to be that way. I’ve seen what some of the other chiropractors out there are doing and decided it was time to call them on it.  In my practice, we do the opposite…we help our patients quickly and inexpensively.  It is possible to be treated by a chiropractor in a safe, easy and affordable manner, as long as the consumer knows what red flags to watch out for.”

To schedule an interview with DR. PHIL YAMAMOTO, contact Allen Media Strategies Alyssa Joy at (703) 589-8960 or alyssa@allenmediastrategies.com.

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