ACR Backs Call to Update PNS Coverage Policies

ACR® is supporting a unified push by 10 medical specialty societies urging Cigna Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare to revise their coverage policies for peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). The current policies label PNS for chronic pain as experimental or unproven, which blocks patient access to a treatment with strong evidence of benefit.

The societies asked both insurers to review recent studies and medical guidelines showing that PNS can help manage chronic pain. They emphasized that the evidence base has grown and that coverage should reflect current clinical practice.

ACR encourages members, including interventional radiologists who perform spine and pain procedures, to share recent research with payers to help ensure fair access for patients across all plan types.

For questions about this outreach effort, contact Alicia Blakey, ACR Manager of Economic Policy.