Key Points
- The American Medical Association has issued a category I CPT® code for treating essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease with Insightec’s Exablate Neuro focused ultrasound device.
- The company also announced reimbursement news for patients with ET in Australia.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has established a new Category I Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code to facilitate reimbursement for treating neurological targets with Insightec’s Exablate Neuro MR-guided focused ultrasound device. The new code will go into effect on January 1, 2025.
CPT® codes are used by insurance companies to reimburse medical procedures. There are three levels of CPT® codes, with a Category I code being the most challenging to acquire, because it requires a significant amount of data and society support for a procedure. Category I is a permanent code that designates the procedure has full US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance and demonstrated clinical efficacy to support broad adoption and coverage.
“Achieving a Category I CPT® code is a tremendous milestone for not only Insightec, but for patients and physicians across the United States,” explains Maurice R. Ferré, MD, CEO and chairman of the board of Insightec. “We’ve long known that focused ultrasound has a significant and valuable role in treating patients with neurological disorders. The approval of this code is further validation and indication of the broader adoption of focused ultrasound, and assurance that those who provide this critical service will receive consistent reimbursement.”
Insightec’s Exablate Neuro focused ultrasound device is FDA cleared to treat essential tremor and the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. According to the company, there are currently more than 50 treatment centers across the US and more than 125 treatment centers around the world using the device.
Read Insightec’s Press Release
Reimbursement in Australia
Insightec also announced that the Australian Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) has granted a positive recommendation to have focused ultrasound treatment for ET subsidized by the government. This decision creates a pathway for the treatment to receive a Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS) listing in 2024, which can provide patients suffering from ET nationwide access to focused ultrasound. Read the Press Release.