Reimbursement for Tomotherapy

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Sy - 01 Oct 2007 19:00 GMT

I post a message several weeks ago regarding reimbursement for
CyberKnife therapy.

Does not appear that my Insurance carrier (Oxford) will cover the
treatments as they consider it "investigational" or " experimental".
Am investigating Tomotherapy and would like to get some feedback.

Is Tomotherapy a more "mainstream" therapy that would be covered by
most Insurance plans. Is Tomotherpay just a "trade name" for IMRT and
would require the low-dose fractions over say 40 treatments?

Any feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Sy

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Steve Jordan - 01 Oct 2007 20:52 GMT

(snip)

> Is Tomotherapy a more "mainstream" therapy that would be covered by
> most Insurance plans. Is Tomotherpay just a "trade name" for IMRT and
> would require the low-dose fractions over say 40 treatments?

I am told by a rad onc that tomotherapy (aka IGRT or image-guided RT) is
much more precise than IMRT. It is a refinement of IMRT.

Rather than five points of IMRT, IGRT delivers from 360 degrees and can
avoid damage to tissues such as the rectum.

I had IMRT. I have referred two men to the IGRT practitioner, and both
are pleased with the result.

The manufacturer's website is: http://www.tomotherapy.com/

The rad onc I refer to above is in Scottsdale, Arizona.

So far as insurance coverage is concerned, I cannot say. I assume that a
medic would know.

Regards,

Steve J

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