Spine Society Responds to Florida's Proposed Plan Limiting Spinal Fusion Coverage

Spine
Laura Dyrda -

Jean-Charles LeHuec, MD, president of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery, recently wrote a letter to First Coast Services Operations disputing the Draft Local Coverage Determination in Florida that seeks to eliminate coverage of lumbar fusions for patients with degenerative disc disease. In the letter, Dr. LeHuec expresses concern with the lack of coverage for patients with spinal stenosis when compression leads to iatrogenic instability and the refusal to cover multi-level fusions for patients with spondylolisthesis. The Draft LCD also limits the coverage for patients with DDD, which ISASS finds medically necessary for a maximum of two levels.

The Draft LCD also states that it was developed in cooperation with orthopedists and neurosurgeons from various societies, but the letter maintains organizations such as ISASS, American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurosurgeons, North American Spine Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons were not consulted.

Read the letter from Dr. Jean-Charles LeHuec (pdf).

Related Articles on Spinal Fusions:
Spinal Fusion's Place in the Future: 9 Points on Fusion Efficacy and Coverage

5 Points on Lowering the Cost of Spinal Fusion Care
Dr. Chris Bono: 5 Trends in Coverage for Spinal Procedures


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