Post by Harvard Eye Associates

Coverage does not equal access. In his latest Healio | Ocular Surgery News, Dr. John Hovanesian lays out an uncomfortable truth about corneal cross-linking: even though it's now a covered benefit across most commercial plans, far too many keratoconus patients still can't get it. A few points that stick with you: → Many U.S. payers require documented "progression" before approving treatment. Meaning physicians must let a progressive disease get irreversibly worse to earn coverage. Denial rates remain high, even on rigorous appeals. → Access is far worse for the underserved. Many state Medicaid programs don't cover cross-linking at all, and 2024 IRIS Registry data suggests minority and lower-income patients reach treatment at a fraction of the rate of others. → Cost is now a barrier of its own, with the only approved system in the U.S. reaching $80,000 per eye. As Dr. Hovanesian puts it, the most reliable way to get a patient covered today is still to "fight like hell", an effort no patient should have to depend on. A clear-eyed call for specialty-wide advocacy. Worth a read. 👇 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e_8jsy3w #Keratoconus #CornealCrosslinking #Ophthalmology #Optometry #PatientAccess #HealthEquity #EyeCare #HarvardEyeAssociates