UnitedHealth Expands NeuroStar TMS Coverage to Nurse Practitioners

Key Facts

1Optum and United Healthcare expanded NeuroStar TMS coverage to include services provided by Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs).

2The policy update covers 26 states and Washington, D.C.

3The decision aims to increase access to innovative, non-drug depression treatments.

Optum and United Healthcare have updated their medical policies to expand coverage for NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy. The policy change now allows Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) to prescribe and administer the treatment for depression. This update applies across 26 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., significantly broadening patient access to innovative, non-drug treatment options. By increasing the pool of eligible healthcare providers, the companies aim to address the growing demand for specialized mental health care. The expansion is viewed as a bullish development for Neuronetics (STIM), the manufacturer of NeuroStar, as it substantially increases its addressable market. For UnitedHealth Group (UNH), the move improves service availability and potentially optimizes operational costs through a broader provider network.