Access to Laser Ablation Therapy for Epilepsy or Brain Tumors Increases with Expanded Coverage

Laser interstitial thermotherapy (LITT or laser ablation) for epilepsy or brain tumors will now be covered by Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), among the largest independent licensees of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The updated policy covers 16 million people in the states of Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Montana and follows a similar policy decision by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.  

A growing body of peer-reviewed clinical evidence suggests there may be medical advantages of MRI-guided laser ablation technology compared with craniotomy and for resection. LITT is a minimally invasive procedure with lower morbidity, faster recovery times, shorter hospital and intensive care stays, and an ability to target lesions that aren’t accessible with resective surgery. 

“The implications of this policy coverage addition by HCSC are significant for the patients we see every day who are not candidates for a craniotomy for treatment of a primary or metastatic brain tumor or radiation necrosis,” said Ganesh Rao, MD, professor and chairman of the department of neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine. “This decision will provide our patients greater access to a minimally invasive technology, which can positively impact their care and improve their quality of life.”