Juan L. Schaening, MD, Contractor Medical Director
Alicia Campbell, MD, Contractor Medical Director
First Coast Service Options, Inc.
P.O. Box 2078
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0048
Submitted Electronically via Medical.Policy@fcso.com
SUBJECT: Support for Coverage for Magnetic Resonance Image Guided High Intensity
Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) for Essential Tremor (ET) DL38506
Dear Drs.Schaening and Campbell:
On behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological
Surgeons (CNS) and the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (ASSFN), we
appreciate the opportunity to express our support for the recent draft local coverage determination (LCD)
DL38506 posted by First Coast for Magnetic Resonance Image Guided High Intensity Focused
Ultrasound (MRgFUS) for Essential Tremor (ET).
We are pleased that First Coast proposes to cover MRgFUS for ET. As you may recall from our previous
letters, we strongly support coverage for this important procedure. We appreciate your time and
consideration over the last year and the specific mention of the ASSFN’s thorough review of published
literature on MRgFUS for ET and guidance on the optimal expertise for the treating neurosurgeon.
Below are some specific comments on the indications and limitations. With the exception of the items
mentioned, we feel the policy is reasonable.
Read full letter here
