Executive summary
The writer's life was turned upside-down by an essential tremor, which affected their daily activities. They received focused ultrasound treatment, a non-invasive therapy that targeted beams of energy deep into the body without damaging surrounding tissue.
Although the treatment was effective, it was not covered by Medicare or private insurance, and the writer had to use crowd-source funding to cover the procedure. To make this technology more accessible, they advocated for policies like H.R. 1691, which would grant four years of provisional Medicare coverage for medical devices deemed "breakthrough" by the FDA.
Letter to the Editor: Expand Access to Focused Ultrasound - AdvaMed
Years ago, my life was turned upside-down by an essential tremor, which caused my hand to shake so
severely that I had to leave my career as a nurse practitioner with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
My tremor meant I could not eat or socialize in public, engage in my passion for photography, or
complete simple repairs around my home that required a steady hand. Then, I received focused
ultrasound, a non-invasive therapy focusing beams of ultrasound energy deep into the body without
damaging surrounding tissue. Within four weeks of the procedure, my tremor was gone, and I was able
to return to my life.
While my treatment was a miracle cure, it didn’t come without a cost. The procedure wasn’t covered by
Medicare or private insurance, leaving me to use crowd-source funding to cover the procedure. Today,
many living with essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, prostate cancer, or chronic pain are unable to
access this transformative technology.
That’s why I recently joined the Focused Ultrasound Foundation to meet with elected officials, including
Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Ryan Zinke. I urged all of our federal representatives to support policies to
expand access to focused ultrasound, including H.R. 1691, a bill that would grant four years of
provisional Medicare coverage for medical devices deemed “breakthrough” by the Food and Drug
Administration.
This breakthrough procedure has opened my world, and I’m proud to advocate so others can access the
same focused ultrasound therapy that has made a difference in my life.
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