Highridge Medical announced that, effective today, that UnitedHealthcare covers vertebral body tethering (VBT) exclusively using its The Tether VBT system.

The Tether device is a first-of-its-kind non-fusion scoliosis treatment. It was the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved device for VBT.

Its humanitarian device exemption (HDE) was awarded based on more than seven years of clinical data that validated the safety and probably benefit of The Tether to correct scoliosis.

Over 3,000 children have received the device since its HDE approval in August 2019. About 65 U.S. surgeons are performing the procedure today.

“The UnitedHealthcare coverage decision validates the expectation we noted when we announced previous coverage decisions, that additional policy updates would follow. It is encouraging to see broader endorsement of this opportunity to positively impact the lives of children with scoliosis through a motion-preserving alternative to spinal fusion,” said Rebecca Whitney, CEO of Highridge Medical. “We are honored to work with orthopedic and neurosurgeons to develop vertebral body tethering solutions that may allow children with scoliosis to return to their active daily lives.”

Read ODT’s exclusive interview with Rebecca Whitney here!

“I am really excited about UnitedHealthcare’s positive policy decision for The Tether. We’ve been advocating with insurance companies for quite a while now to get this procedure covered. Allowing more surgeons to more easily access the appropriate care for their patients is a big step forward,” added Jaren Riley, MD, a board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and pioneer in vertebral body tethering. “This approval will allow more kids to receive this vital procedure, while ethically moving it forward and collecting the data we need to show that it’s effective.”

In February, the company began limited U.S. introduction of the activL Lumbar Disc, a motion preservation solution designed to restore function and maintain mobility for patients with lumbar disc degeneration.