Optum/United Healthcare/United Behavioral Health has updated its clinical policy to allow psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners in 26 states and the District of Columbia to order, supervise and administer transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Previously, TMS was only ordered and administered by psychiatrists, according to an April 13 company news release. The updated policy applies to nurse practitioners in states where full practice authority is granted, including Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming.
The change will give 34.8 million Optum/UHC/UBH beneficiaries increased access to the therapy. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a non-drug, non-invasive treatment option for people with major depressive disorder who do not respond well to antidepressant medication. The therapy delivers targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate neurons responsible for regulating mood.
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