Coverage of Nonpharmacologic Treatments for Low Back Pain Among US Public and Private Insurers.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Despite epidemic rates of addiction and death from prescription opioids in the United States, suggesting the importance of providing alternatives to opioids in the treatment of pain, little is known regarding how payers' coverage policies may facilitate or impede access to such treatments.

Objective

To examine coverage policies for 5 nonpharmacologic approaches commonly used to treat acute or chronic low back pain among commercial and Medicare Advantage insurance plans, plus an additional 6 treatments among Medicaid plans.

Design, setting, and participants

Cross-sectional study of 15 commercial, 15 Medicaid, and 15 Medicare Advantage health plans for the 2017 calendar year in 16 states representing more than half of the US population. Interviews were conduc

SUBMITTER: Heyward J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6324451 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature