Business Corpus: Fighting Opioids: Chronic Pain Device Gets Insurance CoverageAetna agreed Tuesday to cover a chronic pain device from Abbott Laboratories that acts as an alternative to potentially addictive opioids. The decision extends coverage of Abbott's therapy to an estimated 22 million Americans. The post Fighting Opioids: Chronic Pain Device Gets Insurance Coverage appeared first on Investor's Business Daily.

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Aetna (AET) agreed Tuesday to cover a chronic pain device from Abbott Laboratories (ABT) that acts as an alternative to potentially addictive opioids.

The decision extends coverage of Abbott's dorsal root ganglion neurostimulation pain therapy to an estimated 22 million Americans living with chronic pain. By stimulating the dorsal root ganglion, a structure along the spinal column, Abbott's device can mask pain.

"While Medicare already covers our DRG system, it's encouraging to see payers like Aetna review the clinical data and outcomes, then choose to provide access to DRG stimulation for their members," Keith Boettiger, vice president of Abbott's neuromodulation business, said in a written statement.

Neurostimulation For Chronic Pain

Neurostimulation devices work by using pulses of electricity in patterns adopted from the nervous system. The dorsal root ganglion is densely populated with nerves that transmit sensory information to the central nervous system.

Blocking or disrupting those signals could be key in treating the symptoms of mysterious disorders like complex regional pain syndrome. Neuropathic pain conditions are some of the most prevalent and under-treated forms of chronic pain in America, Abbott says.

These patients often try various medication, opioids or surgery to no end. Amid the opioid epidemic, the Food and Drug Administration is pushing for medical devices to help combat the crisis. An estimated 116 people died every day in the U.S. in 2016 due to opioid-related overdoses.

Aetna's decision to cover the dorsal root ganglion device, known as Proclaim DRG system, builds onto "the FDA's goals to find new ways to combat the opioid epidemic with alternatives such as Abbott's neurostimulation therapies," Boettiger said.

On the stock market today, Abbott stock rose 0.4%, to 67.11. Shares of Aetna dipped 0.5%, to 199.30.

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The post Fighting Opioids: Chronic Pain Device Gets Insurance Coverage appeared first on Investor's Business Daily.