Language

English

Publication Date

9-1-2023

Journal

Urology Practice

DOI

10.1097/UPJ.0000000000000416

PMID

37594033

PMCID

PMC12721626

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

8-18-2023

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Introduction: A manufacturer's benefit verification database was evaluated to ascertain United States health plan insurance coverage for implantable penile prostheses for erectile dysfunction.

Methods: All-payer and employer-sponsored health plan benefit verification databases were queried to determine implantable penile prosthesis approval status. For the all-payer analysis, data by payer were available and presented for 2019-2021 to assess approval status varied by payer and over time. For the employer-sponsored health plan analysis, data by payer were available from 2018-2021.

Results: Benefit verification records for the all-payer database were available for 3,167 patients in 2019, 3,016 in 2020, and 2,837 in 2021. Insurance type was preferred provider organization (27.5%), Medicare Advantage (26.9%), Medicare (15.9%), or point-of-service (10.5%). Most patients were approved or verified for implantable penile prosthesis coverage (79.4% in 2019, 79.6% in 2020, and 78.4% in 2021). Coverage was most extensive for government-based insurance (Medicare 98.7%, Medicare Advantage 97.1%, Tricare 100%, and Veterans Affairs 80.0%) but was also favorable for commercial insurance (75.0%). The most common reason for lack of coverage was employer exclusion; the proportion of patients with no coverage due to exclusion increased from 13.5% in 2019 to 17.5% in 2021. Analyses of the employer-sponsored health plan database (n=3,083 patients) showed that 63.1% of patients were approved or verified for coverage and 34.2% did not have coverage due to health plan exclusions.

Conclusions: Approximately 80% of patients had implantable penile prosthesis coverage. Employer exclusion was the most common reason for lagging coverage; rates of employer exclusion increased 29.3% from 2019-2021.

Keywords

Aged, Male, Humans, United States, Penile Prosthesis, Erectile Dysfunction, Medicare, Insurance Coverage, Databases, Factual, erectile, dysfunction, penile prosthesis, insurance coverage, health services accessibility

Published Open-Access

yes

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