If you use a TENS unit for chronic low back pain, Medicare and Medicaid services may eliminate your coverage! Show your support and sign the petition!
On September 13, 2011, CMS opened a review of national Medicare coverage of the use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for chronic low back pain. CMS is considering whether TENS for chronic low back pain should be covered by Medicare at all, or whether it should only be covered when used for patients participating in approved clinical studies. Either scenario would dramatically and negatively impact Medicare patient access to TENS devices for chronic low back pain. Such a decision by Medicare also could prompt other insurers and health programs to adopt similar, more restrictive coverage policies.
Click on this link for information regarding the CMS National Coverage Analysis.
What is TENS?
A TENS system is a clinically proven method of pain reduction by the use of electrical stimulus. TENS has been used in the medical community for more than 30 years as a safe and effective approach to pharmacological approaches to pain control for a multitude of patients which has minimal side effects and is non-addictive. A TENS system is comprised of a
- portable stimulator that generates a current,
- leads which the current flows through to,
- and electrodes placed on specific locations on the patient's skin.
How Do I Help?
Please sign the petition to keep Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) for chronic lower back pain accessible to Medicare patients. Signers of the petition believe that Medicare (CMS) should not restrict patient access to TENS technology that benefits Medicare patients by- safely and effectively alleviating chronic low back pain,
- reducing the need for narcotics (pain medications), and
- preventing the need for surgical intervention in some cases.
CMS should continue to cover and pay for TENS for Medicare beneficiaries suffering from chronic low back pain according to the well-established local Medicare coverage criteria.
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