I injured my back in 1992 and after 10 years was diagnosed with a severe and extensive form of facet arthopathy, a painful spinal disease that involved the nerves and joints in the spine. When my insurance changed and my pain dr. at the time no longer took my insurance I started looking for another pain dr. A friend recommended Dr. Liceaga (who runs this center). He seemed really nice and understood my disease and seemed really keen on helping me out. He said it would help to see a chiropractor and referred me to one he knew.
He then started doing procedures on my back that are usual for my disease. The first time I went into his surgical clinic we had discussed that he would cauterize the nerves (basically, burn/cut them)--the most common method of managing my disease. After waking up from anesthesia I find out he didn't do what he said he was going to do, but instead he injected salt water---whaaat? After doing this several times (telling me he was going to do one thing and then doing something else--something less expensive and less complicated) and not getting any results--still in a lot of pain, I told him that I really needed to have the procedure we had agreed upon--cauterizing the nerves. He told me there was nothing more he could do.
Now, I should also mention that he was out of network and required my insurance company to pay him in full. He got several checks for $25,000--yes, that's thousand for simply injecting my back w/salt water yet he was biliing for the more extensive procedures. We actually called our insurance company to let them know that they weren't paying for what he was billing, but they didn't seem to care. The other thing that was bothersome, is that I came to find out that my disease should not have chiropractic manipulation. This was just another scam between these two doctors. I saw all of Dr. Liceaga's patients at the chiropractor---seems questionable to me. They even coaxed my husband into seeing the chiro. Needless to say, I feel lucky that he didn't do anything to damage my back, but what a waste of time. Perhaps he's ok with simple pain management patients, but I honestly don't trust him, buyer beware. He just didn't seem to have my health as his best interest--just my nice insurance checks. read more