Several major national insurers, including Cigna, Aetna and Highmark, have revised policies to cover expanded spine and orthopedic procedures this year.
1. Cigna implemented a coverage policy for Intrinsic Therapeutics' Barricaid bone-anchored annular closure device, designed to prevent reherniation and reoperation for patients with large annular defects after lumbar discectomy. The policy went into effect June 15.
2. Cigna will now cover Relievant Medsystems' Intracept procedure for the treatment of vertebrogenic low back pain, effective June 15.
3. Highmark and Blue Cross Blue Shield North Dakota will now cover ZimVie's vertebral body tethering system for scoliosis, which went into effect Jan. 30 and March 6, respectively.
4. Aetna expanded to add one-level lumbar total disc replacement using Centinel Spine's Prodisc L lumbar total disc replacement system in its coverage.