NFL CREATES NEW SPINE TREATMENT PROGRAM - Ingles

NFL Player Care Program to Offer Coordinated Care and Financial Assistance.

The National Football League today announced a new spine treatment program for retired players.

The latest in a series of NFL initiatives addressing the quality of life needs of retired players, the NFL spine treatment program makes available spine specialists at five medical centers across the country to evaluate and treat spine-related conditions. The program, part of the NFL Player Care Plan, is available to retired players vested under the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle pension plan.

The five participating medical centers, selected for their expertise, high-quality service and reputation are: Mt. Sinai (New York, NY); The Emory University Orthopaedics and Spine Hospital (Atlanta, GA); UCLA Health System (Los Angeles, CA); University of California, San Francisco; and Washington University (St. Louis, MO).

Each medical center provides an orthopedic spine surgeon who serves as a program director and coordinates the services of a team of health care professionals in the evaluation and treatment of the former players. The team includes a neurosurgeon and a physiatrist.

Interested players can contact the Player Care Plan to connect with the appropriate program director who may initiate a course of treatment.

Players who cannot afford treatment may apply to the NFL Player Care Foundation for a grant to cover some or all of the costs of treatment.

Retired NFL players may also find additional information on medical and benefits programs at http://www.nflplayercare.com/.