Health insurance may soon include coverage for early-detection procedures
Alzheimer’s Disease can be a devastating diagnoses, made worse by the financial aspects associated by the ailment. Like other serious illnesses, Alzheimer’s can be a very tricky subject in the world of health insurance. While insurers are likely to cover some of the aspects of the ailment, many have shown resistance to covering procedures that could lead to the early detection of the disease, especially if these procedures are not guaranteed to be absolutely accurate. The medical community is beginning to push for more comprehensive coverage of such procedures, however, for the sake of those that may suffer from Alzheimer’s.
Advocacy and medical groups introduce proposals for PET scan coverage
The Alzheimer’s Association and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging have introduced a proposal that could have an impact on the federal Medicaid program and several other health insurance initiatives. The two groups are pushing for insurers to provide coverage for positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which are used to digitally map the brain. Medical professionals suggest that these scans can lead to the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.
Scans not covered through Medicaid
Health insurance companies are well attuned to the costs associated with severe illnesses. Many private companies have the luxury to choose what they provide coverage for, but the federal Medicaid program is more susceptible to the whims of the general public. The program currently does not provide coverage for PET scans used to track the possibilities of Alzheimer’s Disease, which could be a problem for those that rely on Medicaid that could be at risk of falling prey to the illness.
Proposal aims to expand coverage for those that may be at risk
The groups suggest that PET scans to detect Alzheimer’s Disease cost between $1,000 and $3,000, a significant sum for those that may be at risk of developing the disease but without insurance to cover the procedure. According to the proposal, the groups are keen to see the Medicaid program, as well as other health insurance initiatives, provide coverage for these procedures to patients younger than 65 who may be at risk of developing the disease. Whether the proposal will win approval has yet to be seen.