Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Understanding the Insurance Landscape of Dupuytren’s Contracture Management

Received: 21 August 2024     Accepted: 6 September 2024     Published: 26 September 2024
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Abstract

Background: Dupuytren’s contracture is a fibroproliferative disorder that often results in contractions of the fourth and fifth digits of the hand. While there is no definitive cure, symptomatic relief can be achieved via open fasciotomy, percutaneous aponeurotomy, or through collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum injections (CCH). Despite these therapeutic options, the insurance coverage of these modalities is not clearly defined. Methods: The authors evaluated American insurance companies’ coverage for the treatment of Dupuytren’s and compared the coverage of open fasciotomy, percutaneous aponeurotomy, or CCH. A cross-sectional analysis of US insurance policies for coverage of Dupuytren’s treatment was performed. Companies were selected based on those with the largest enrollment and their market share. Results: Of the 100 companies examined, only 5% of companies had an established policy that covered an open fasciotomy treatment, 6% had a policy that covered a percutaneous fasciotomy, whereas 37% had a policy for CCH. There were significantly more policies for CCH compared to open fasciotomy and percutaneous fasciotomy (CCH vs open fasciotomy: p<0.001; CCH vs percutaneous fasciotomy: p<0.001). The most common criterion for treatment options was the involvement of the MP joint or PIP (Open fasciotomy n = 5 (100%); percutaneous fasciotomy n = 5 (83.3%); CCH n = 30 (81.1%). Conclusion: There are noted coverage discrepancies between companies for the coverage of Dupuytren’s management. This variability is overall lacking in surgical, minimally invasive, and injection options.

Published in Advances in Surgical Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12
Page(s) 51-56
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Insurance, Dupuytren’s, Collagenase

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Hricz, N., Schlidt, K., Ha, M., Zhu, K., Ngaage, L., et al. (2024). Understanding the Insurance Landscape of Dupuytren’s Contracture Management. Advances in Surgical Sciences, 12(2), 51-56. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12

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    ACS Style

    Hricz, N.; Schlidt, K.; Ha, M.; Zhu, K.; Ngaage, L., et al. Understanding the Insurance Landscape of Dupuytren’s Contracture Management. Adv. Surg. Sci. 2024, 12(2), 51-56. doi: 10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12

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    AMA Style

    Hricz N, Schlidt K, Ha M, Zhu K, Ngaage L, et al. Understanding the Insurance Landscape of Dupuytren’s Contracture Management. Adv Surg Sci. 2024;12(2):51-56. doi: 10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12,
      author = {Nicholas Hricz and Kevin Schlidt and Michael Ha and Kevin Zhu and Ledibabari Ngaage and Jessica El-Mallah and Sami Tuffaha and Yvonne Rasko},
      title = {Understanding the Insurance Landscape of Dupuytren’s Contracture Management
    },
      journal = {Advances in Surgical Sciences},
      volume = {12},
      number = {2},
      pages = {51-56},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ass.20241202.12},
      abstract = {Background: Dupuytren’s contracture is a fibroproliferative disorder that often results in contractions of the fourth and fifth digits of the hand. While there is no definitive cure, symptomatic relief can be achieved via open fasciotomy, percutaneous aponeurotomy, or through collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum injections (CCH). Despite these therapeutic options, the insurance coverage of these modalities is not clearly defined. Methods: The authors evaluated American insurance companies’ coverage for the treatment of Dupuytren’s and compared the coverage of open fasciotomy, percutaneous aponeurotomy, or CCH. A cross-sectional analysis of US insurance policies for coverage of Dupuytren’s treatment was performed. Companies were selected based on those with the largest enrollment and their market share. Results: Of the 100 companies examined, only 5% of companies had an established policy that covered an open fasciotomy treatment, 6% had a policy that covered a percutaneous fasciotomy, whereas 37% had a policy for CCH. There were significantly more policies for CCH compared to open fasciotomy and percutaneous fasciotomy (CCH vs open fasciotomy: ppn = 5 (100%); percutaneous fasciotomy n = 5 (83.3%); CCH n = 30 (81.1%). Conclusion: There are noted coverage discrepancies between companies for the coverage of Dupuytren’s management. This variability is overall lacking in surgical, minimally invasive, and injection options.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Understanding the Insurance Landscape of Dupuytren’s Contracture Management
    
    AU  - Nicholas Hricz
    AU  - Kevin Schlidt
    AU  - Michael Ha
    AU  - Kevin Zhu
    AU  - Ledibabari Ngaage
    AU  - Jessica El-Mallah
    AU  - Sami Tuffaha
    AU  - Yvonne Rasko
    Y1  - 2024/09/26
    PY  - 2024
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12
    T2  - Advances in Surgical Sciences
    JF  - Advances in Surgical Sciences
    JO  - Advances in Surgical Sciences
    SP  - 51
    EP  - 56
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2376-6182
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ass.20241202.12
    AB  - Background: Dupuytren’s contracture is a fibroproliferative disorder that often results in contractions of the fourth and fifth digits of the hand. While there is no definitive cure, symptomatic relief can be achieved via open fasciotomy, percutaneous aponeurotomy, or through collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum injections (CCH). Despite these therapeutic options, the insurance coverage of these modalities is not clearly defined. Methods: The authors evaluated American insurance companies’ coverage for the treatment of Dupuytren’s and compared the coverage of open fasciotomy, percutaneous aponeurotomy, or CCH. A cross-sectional analysis of US insurance policies for coverage of Dupuytren’s treatment was performed. Companies were selected based on those with the largest enrollment and their market share. Results: Of the 100 companies examined, only 5% of companies had an established policy that covered an open fasciotomy treatment, 6% had a policy that covered a percutaneous fasciotomy, whereas 37% had a policy for CCH. There were significantly more policies for CCH compared to open fasciotomy and percutaneous fasciotomy (CCH vs open fasciotomy: ppn = 5 (100%); percutaneous fasciotomy n = 5 (83.3%); CCH n = 30 (81.1%). Conclusion: There are noted coverage discrepancies between companies for the coverage of Dupuytren’s management. This variability is overall lacking in surgical, minimally invasive, and injection options.
    
    VL  - 12
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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