Does Medicare cover biofeedback?

Does Medicare cover biofeedback? Biofeedback therapy might be suggested to you by your doctor in order to treat a number of different health problems. These conditions include attention-deficit disorder (ADD), various seizure disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and insomnia. So, what is biofeedback therapy?

Because biofeedback therapy is used by doctors in order to diagnose and treat such a wide range of different health problems, many people can be left with a number of different questions about this procedure. Acting as an assessment of a patient’s cognitive function as well as a number of other signals from the brain while they are in a meditative state, biofeedback therapy is used for a number of reasons.

Is biofeedback therapy covered by Medicare? How many sessions of biofeedback therapy will you be allowed to schedule? What can have an impact on my out-of-pocket expenses?

We will be answering these important questions about your Medicare healthcare insurance when it comes to biofeedback therapy in the sections below.

You can make sure you’re getting the best health insurance coverage with our free insurance quote comparison tool. Our free tool will help you to get quotes for the best health insurance rates that are available in your area, and all you have to do is enter your ZIP code.

Does Medicare cover biofeedback therapy?

What exactly is biofeedback therapy? To put it simply, it is a process that utilizes an electroencephalogram (EEG) to monitor various signals in the brain. The strength of these signals can help doctors to pinpoint what is causing the medical condition. Think of diagnostic tests — biofeedback therapy acts as one for the brain.

Medicare Part B will cover your biofeedback sessions—the number of which are limited to the number of allowable sessions that are outlined by your insurance provider—as long as it is deemed medically necessary, and all traditional treatment options have been exhausted.

These traditional treatment options include a variety of therapies, such as:

• Applying heat or cold
• Massages
• Exercises
• Support braces

As always, make sure to talk to your doctor to see if biofeedback is the next best step in your treatment. If not deemed a medical necessity, you don’t want to end up paying for it. Plus, doctors generally attempt to try everything they can, which means suggesting biofeedback for patients may not be their first suggestion.

What can affect out-of-pocket expenses for biofeedback?

Even if biofeedback is deemed to be medically necessary, you should keep two factors in mind for the cost of biofeedback therapy.

The first is if the number of biofeedback therapy sessions needed is more than what your insurance provider allows.

The second factor is whether or not your healthcare provider uses CPT code 90901 as the medical code. This is the medical code that indicates the biofeedback therapy was deemed to be medically necessary.

In Closing

Because biofeedback therapy is generally only used as a last resort, it is often deemed to be medically necessary. However, you should always check with your personal healthcare insurance provider about their policies.

We also have a variety of resources available that can answer many more healthcare coverage questions that you may have.

Before you buy health insurance, shop around to find the policy that fits your needs and budget.

Enter your ZIP code in this free tool to compare affordable health insurance quotes from different insurers. You will be able to find the best health insurance rates and coverage for biofeedback therapy.