
Insightec Receives Humana Coverage for Focused Ultrasound Treatment in Essential Tremor
Insightec has announced that Humana, a national U.S. payer, has added coverage for its focused ultrasound treatment for medication-refractory essential tremor. Humana covers over 17 million total lives in the United States and about 7% of the commercial market. This treatment, which received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2022, provides immediate relief for patients with essential tremor that does not respond to medications. It is performed in a single outpatient procedure, utilizing MR-guided focused ultrasound, and has shown minimal to no complications.
Essential tremor is a movement disorder affecting around ten million Americans, causing uncontrollable shaking. Humana becomes the fifth national payer to cover this innovative treatment, joining Cigna, Anthem, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Medicare also covers this treatment in all 50 states. Insightec, a global healthcare company dedicated to using acoustic energy to transform patient care, is working to expand access to this transformative treatment for essential tremor patients.
The company recently received FDA approval for a five-year study demonstrating the efficacy of MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) surgery for essential tremor (ET). The study involved the largest prospective long-term follow-up of its kind and revealed sustained and significant tremor improvement without any progressive or delayed complications, validating the long-term safety and effectiveness of MR-guided focused ultrasound for treating ET. The research, involving 40 patients, showed a clinically meaningful 73.1% improvement in tremor severity at the five-year mark, consistent with previous data, and confirmed the procedure’s benefits in terms of quality of life and functional disability. Insightec’s Focused Ultrasound technology has been used in over 11,000 procedures worldwide.
Maurice R. Ferré, MD, Chairman and CEO of the Board of Directors at Insightec, expressed gratitude to Humana for their positive coverage decision and highlighted the importance of expanding access to this treatment, which allows more patients with essential tremor to regain their independence. Over 50 treatment centers across the United States and more than 125 centers worldwide are utilizing Insightec’s Exablate® Neuro platform to treat essential tremor and over 10,000 patients have been treated to date.