Cigna Insurance Coverage TMS Treatment
You may be asking if Cigna Health Insurance covers Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Many studies have shown, including one with 307 patients, that this method works for depression, people often ask if their insurance covers TMS treatment options.
Studies are still being done, but many insurance companies have given the green light for its use with depression. Cigna insurance for TMS treatment offers benefits to those who want to use TMS as a healing method, possibly along with other methods.
What is TMS?
Using magnetic pulses, nerve cells are stimulated in certain regions of the brain in a TMS treatment. In some people, medication has not worked well in the treatment of depression; in this case, TMS has been recommended.
It is non-invasive, and anesthesia is not required. Sessions last approximately 18 minutes. If you need to complement antidepressant medications or psychotherapy or need an alternative treatment, you may be covered with TMS therapy through your Cigna health insurance.
The Affordable Care Act Helps With Mental Health Coverage
Before this act was passed, insurance companies were not required to present mental health coverage to their members. Coverage could be denied if the mental health disorder was thought to be a pre-existing condition. Now required to cover some mental health treatments, TMS is among the treatments available with insurance coverage.
Cigna Co-pays and Deductibles
Insurance co-pays and deductibles can vary with the type of insurance, even if it is a covered treatment. Cigna has stated the following in regards to mental health coverage:
- You must first make an appointment with a psychiatrist, therapist, or inpatient treatment hospital. This doctor will coordinate your care and treatment
- You will pay your share of the costs according to your particular plan. If you have a deductible, you must pay until you meet the plan deductible if there is one. After you have met the deductible, the plan begins coverage of some or all of your costs as outlined in your plan documents. There’s no separate deductible, from your medical plan, for your mental health and substance use coverage under your employer’s medical plan
Cigna Insurance and Health
Cigna requires that all of the following be met for a treatment to be considered a medical necessity:
- All the general requirements for medical necessity are met
- A psychiatric evaluation has confirmed the diagnosis of treatment-resistant depression
- There is a current referral, of within 30 days, by a psychiatrist for a service
If you are presently receiving electro‐convulsive therapy, Cigna considers transcranial magnetic stimulation as a less invasive treatment and a better option. Inability to tolerate medications is also one of the criteria considered by Cigna Health Insurance when it comes to depression treatment.
Benefits of TMS For OCD and Depression
What benefits does TMS offer for those with OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as those with depression? You may have already received or are receiving therapy, such as CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy, and have explored your triggers for depression. Therapeutic treatment offers patients less of a chance to relapse, especially if they are taking medication alone.
Medications are often prescribed for depression. A combination of medications may be used to treat your depression. Chemicals that are responsible for your moods may be the target; SSRIs may affect them. MAOIs are an older line of medication and may be used as a last resort.
TMS can be used in combination with therapy and medication, especially when therapy and medication are not enough. A study has showed that 14 percent of patients experienced a remission of symptoms after their first session; that number rose to 30 percent after the second one.
TMS targets specific areas of the brain and can be used in those areas that affect mood. An electromagnetic coil is placed against the patient’s forehead; small, electromagnetic pulses are generated through the coil to activate the desired area of the brain.
Many people with depression go on to make a life-long recovery since they can be treated and cured.
You may have OCD rather than depression, and this means the person is obsessed with compulsions and ritualistic behavior. If left untreated, OCD can result in the following:
- Lack of peace of mind
- Damage to relationships
- Illness
- Anxiety attacks
- Substance abuse
- And more
Emotional distress from having the symptoms of OCD can also trigger depression in some people. Thinking patterns can severely affect the life of a person with OCD.
Therapy and medication are also used, as with depression; however, TMS has been used to target certain areas of the brain and help with the flow of information. It thus provides relief for those who suffer from OCD. Intrusive and distressing thoughts are eliminated, and patients see the results in three and six weeks, depending on the severity of the OCD.
TMS has proved beneficial for both depression and OCD, relieving anxiety, and improving mental health. Insurance companies look at the science. In fact, over 3,500 papers have been published speaking to the efficacy of TMS. A study by Dr. Linda Carpenter and her team at Butler Hospital discovered that TMS aided people who had treatment-resistant depression. What they found was a 58 percent positive response rate and a 37 percent remissions rate from the application of transcranial magnetic stimulation, TMS.
Insurance Verification
We can help you when it comes to your health insurance coverage and the TMS services at Pulse. Now that you know that you may be able to use Cigna insurance for TMS treatment, you can contact us at Pulse to run an insurance verification. We can verify if your policy covers TMS treatment. We’re located in the Los Angeles area; get on the path to recovery from depression and other mental health issues with a call to (310) 878-4346.