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Given Imaging Announces Further Insurance Reimbursement for Capsule Endoscopy
Monday March 22, 7:32 am ET
- 17 Million Additional Americans Covered for Suspected Crohn's Disease -
YOQNEAM, Israel, March 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Given Imaging (Nasdaq: GIVN - News) announced today that Aetna, Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota have expanded their reimbursement policies for Capsule Endoscopy to include the initial diagnosis of suspected Crohn's disease following inconclusive conventional tests such as small-bowel follow-through and upper and lower endoscopy. In addition, John Deere Health Plan, Inc. has issued a reimbursement policy for Capsule Endoscopy as a first line tool with persistent symptoms following negative upper and lower endoscopy.
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"We are pleased that additional insurance companies are recognizing the clinical utility of using Capsule Endoscopy in the initial diagnosis of patients with Crohn's disease," said Gavriel D. Meron, President and CEO of Given Imaging. "Today's news is of great importance to individuals who suffer from abdominal symptoms that can not be explained with customary diagnostic tools."
Aetna is a leading provider of health insurance and has 13 million members nationwide. Aetna has provided coverage for Capsule Endoscopy since April 2003 for diagnosing obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, and has now amended its policy to also cover the initial diagnosis of suspected Crohn's disease.
Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield provides health insurance to more than 2 million individuals in upstate New York, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota has more than 2 million members. With these new policies, a total of seven Blue Cross Blue Shield carriers with 27.3 million beneficiaries have adopted the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's Medical Advisory Panel determination in November 2003 that Capsule Endoscopy meets the criteria of the association's Technology Evaluation Center (TEC) for initially diagnosing patients with suspected Crohn's disease, following negative conventional diagnostic tests such as barium follow-through and upper and lower endoscopy. John Deer Health Plan has approximately 530,000 members and serves individuals in Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia.
With this announcement, the total U.S. population with reimbursable access to Capsule Endoscopy for indications other than bleeding is approximately 50 million. More than 150 million Americans currently have reimbursable access to Capsule Endoscopy. |
