SI-Bone has announced that Highmark, the USA’s fourth largest Blue Cross and Blue Shield-affiliated insurer, has established an exclusive positive coverage policy for minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion using the Ifuse implant system.
Highmark, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is among the top 10 largest health insurers in the United States and includes Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Pennsylvania, BCBS of Delaware and BCBS of West Virginia.
Based on the more than 50 peer-reviewed clinical studies and publications, the policy, available at the link below, provides iFuse coverage for more than 4.5 million Blue Cross Blue Shield plan members in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia effective August 21, 2017.
The following Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans now cover Ifuse:
BCBS of Michigan
BCBS of Vermont
BCBS of Nebraska
BCBS of Texas: HCSC: Ifuse only
BCBS of Oklahoma: HCSC: Ifuse only
BCBS of New Mexico: HCSC: Ifuse only
BCBS of Montana: HCSC: Ifuse only
BCBS of Illinois: HCSC: Ifuse only
BCBS of Pennsylvania: Highmark: Ifuse only
BCBS of Delaware: Highmark: Ifuse only
BCBS of West Virginia: Highmark: Ifuse only
Over 22.5 million BCBS health plan members are now covered for minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion.
“The sacroiliac joint is a common source of low back pain in many patients. I have performed over 90 procedures with the Ifuse implant system and it has been a rewarding procedure for my patients and for me as a spine surgeon. I am very pleased to now be able to offer appropriately diagnosed Blue Cross Blue Shield patients this clinically proven SI joint fusion procedure,” says Michael Oh, neurosurgeon at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, USA.