At INSIGHTEC, we make every effort to listen to patients, whether that is reading and responding to daily comments on Facebook or talking face-to-face at patient forums. Whether Medicare covers the Neuravive treatment is one of the questions that we receive very often, and now we have some good news to share with all of you.

MR-guided focused ultrasound (Neuravive treatment) is now covered in 10 states. Additionally, on July 1, coverage will expand to 6 additional states. Additional Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) have issued positive Draft Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) with potential to further expand Medicare coverage to a total of 38 states.

The decision by Medicare to cover MR-guided focused ultrasound for the treatment of essential tremor is important for a number of reasons. First, this is validation of the published data on the safety and efficacy of focused ultrasound for essential tremor. Second, this is recognition of the benefits of incisionless brain surgery for people living with essential tremor.  Most importantly, this decision greatly expands access of the Neuravive treatment to many more patients and physicians.

What does this news mean for you? If you’re on Medicare, read below to see if your state is covered:

• National Government Services (NGS) Medicare currently covers MR-guided focused ultrasound for the treatment of essential tremor in the following 10 states: Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
• Effective July 1, 2018, six additional states will be covered by Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPSIC) Medicare: Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Michigan and Missouri.
• If you don’t live in one of these 16 states, there is still good news. CGS Medicare, Noridian Medicare, and Palmetto GBA, local MACs for 22 other states, have posted positive draft LCDs specific for MRgFUS for the treatment of ET. These states are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

INSIGHTEC will continue our efforts in support of Medicare coverage by other MACs across the United States to expand access for incisionless focused ultrasound treatment for all patients with essential tremor.