Aetna Policy Updated -- ProDisc Now Covered

[Harrison]

Just a reminder that Aetna has updated their insurance policy to include coverage of the 1 level lumbar ProDisc:

http://www.aetna.com/cpb/data/CPBA0591.html

It was updated on Nov 10, 2006. An excerpt:

Policy

1. Aetna considers FDA-approved prosthetic intervertebral discs (e.g., the Charite artificial disc, and the ProDisc-L Total Disc Replacement) medically necessary for spinal arthroplasty in skeletally mature persons with degenerative disc disease at one level from L3 to S1, and who have failed at least six months of conservative management.

2. Prosthetic intervertebral disc replacement is considered experimental and investigational for use in the cervical spine and for all other indications.