Letter Templates for Functional Neurosurgery Procedures

Obtaining insurance authorization can be a limiting step in the ability to offer several functional neurosurgery procedures. For some procedures this process often requires an appeal step in which the surgeon must write a letter explaining the benefits of the procedure for the patient and evidence supporting it. To facilitate this process for surgeons and improve access to functional neurosurgical procedures for patients, we surveyed functional neurosurgeons and collected examples of appeal letters. 

Accessing Letter Templates on the ASSFN Website

Available on the ASSFN website once logging in to your ASSFN member portal, these letters are focused on functional procedures commonly requiring appeal, including psychiatric neurosurgical procedures, DBS for tardive dystonia, LITT for epilepsy, and neuromodulation approaches for facial pain. This can differ from patient to patient and from insurance company to insurance company, so neurosurgeons can adjust these templates for their use.

We hope that these examples will ease the process of appeal for surgeons and help improve success rates to enable appropriate patients to benefit from these procedures

By Sarah Bick, MD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center