Last Updated on: 31st July 2023, 03:59 pm
Are stem cell injections covered by insurance?
The answer is not yet clear, however in Greenville, Michigan a dental hygienist, Lori Mills, has been approved to receive a stem cell therapy under her Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance coverage plan.
While stem cell therapy is usually not covered under health insurance, Lori fought for coverage and things have changed.
When will insurance companies cover stem cell therapy
The insurance company has overturned its previous denial of Lori’s stem cell transplant from the summer of 2014. In a letter dated January 2, 2015, Blue Cross states the company will now pay for the potentially life-changing procedure.
“I know it’s going to be a shot at a whole new life for me,” Mills said today.
She added, “I know that because of our previous interview, it really helped get this approval letter because whenever I call they talk about it.”
FOX 17 also interviewed Mills in October, questioned Blue Cross, and aired her story.
She suffers from chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy or CIDP.
Her immune system attacks her nervous system. She shakes, has numbness, and it impairs her movement.
Stem cell therapy cost
Doctors told her a stem cell therapy could be the cure. This treatment, however, is unlike ours in terms of price and type of therapy. In the video Lori said the autologous (the patient’s own stem cells) stem cell therapy cost in Chicago would be anywhere from $150,000 – $200,000.
This type of treatment, while approved in the US, also contains a very low amount of stem cells.
Our protocols from Beike Biotechnology would suggest a much higher concentration (around 300 million stem cells) of umbilical cord derived stem cells for chronic inflammatory/peripheral neuropathies.
These stem cells differentiate into neural cells to replace the dead or injured neurons, modulate the immune system’s reaction towards the affected neurons, regulate inflammatory mediators and stimulate resident stem cells which further promotes the survival of neurons. Typical treatment price for one month, including additional therapies, is about $26,000.
When looking into insurance coverage for stem cell treatment, please remember to appeal for coverage if denied at first. We will help provide you with any required documents they may request.
Source: FOX 17 Online