Key Points
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is the first provider to cover focused ultrasound pallidotomy for patients with Parkinson’s disease in the US.
- The ruling impacts more than 25 million people across 15 states.
Insightec has announced that Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) will now cover focused ultrasound pallidotomy for patients with Parkinson’s disease in the US. The ruling impacts more than 25 million people covered by Anthem BCBS across 15 states.
The company’s Exablate Neuro device was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat the symptoms of tremor-dominant PD in December 2018, and that was expanded to cover the mobility, rigidity, or dyskinesia symptoms of the disease in November 2021. Since then, patients had to either participate in a clinical trial or pay out-of-pocket for the procedure.
Insightec urges those interested to contact Anthem BCBS’ member services or visit their official website for additional information about the specific qualifications of coverage for the focused ultrasound procedure.