When will the Watchman be covered by insurance companies?

Dear Forum,
A year ago I had my second ablation with Dr. Natale after ten years of being afib free. Now after a year of being on Eloquis I am feeling anxious! I am 58 years old and I do not want to be on Eloquis forever. I would like to have the watchman. I am an active healthy person who loves outdoor sports! When will insurance companies cover this procedure for everyone?
Best,
Pamela



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2017 09:25PM by pammorgan.

Good question and nobody can predict what insurance companies will do or when, but my guess is you'll see them start covering it in the coming year as 5-year data becomes available. It won't be all of them at once, of course, and no doubt there will be holdouts, but I think it's on the horizon.

How insane is it that American health care is dictated by for-profit companies that have a vested interest in denying everything they can?

Hi Pam,

When you have had LAA isolation, as you did, it is generally easier to get insurance approval even now from an increasing number of generally larger insurance companies. As new wave of upcoming Watchman/Amulet studies come out over the course of 2018 and the following two to three years, you can expect the doors to open a good deal wider making LAAC an increasingly more accepted alternative to life long blood thinners for those patients who can most benefit from mechanical LAA closure which definitely will include folks with LAA isolation.

Cheers!

Shannon

Dear Shannon,
Thanks for the encouraging information! I am looking into the future of getting the watchman rather than looking at a lifetime of blood thinners.
Best, Pamela