I am a spine surgeon and sit on committees of NASS, ACSS, ABOS. We have sent a letter to BCBS of NC challenging this.
Welcome to the beginning of Obamacare. I am NOT sensationalizing things. It is the absolute intent to ratchet down covered care in all aspects of medicine. Not just end-of-life (which is currently being targeted), but procedures that children and young adults get that would help them live the rest of their lives more productively with better quality.
The standard that they are setting is LEVEL I (one) studies. That means studies that are prospective and blinded. There are very few treatments in medicine that can meet this scrutiny. Therefore, they simply get to pick what they want to attack next, get a committee to justify why there is no Level I evidence to support, and then write a policy of non-coverage.
The only way this is going to be stopped is for every citizen to fight it. We need to fight it by challenging our insurance companies, by writing to our state and federal legislators and by voting in upcoming elections. If we do not turn this around, in 5 - 10 years we will have one of the worse medical systems in the world. The time to act is now and we must attack at every angle. Get involved, write letters, get friends involved and VOTE.
"YES WE CAN" have the best healthcare system in the world, but we ALL are going to have to fight for it.
LINK to Reply:
NASS and Multi-Society Coalition Submit Comments on NC BCBS Lumbar Spine Fusion Policy