Latest news with #epidural
Health Line
5 days ago
- Health
- Health Line
Are Epidural Injections Covered by Medicare?
Medicare should cover epidural steroid injections to relieve spinal pain caused by certain conditions lasting at least 4 weeks despite other treatment. An epidural steroid injection is a noninvasive way that can help ease pain. A doctor injects steroids into the epidural space, which is the space around the spinal cord. These injections help reduce inflammation caused by various spinal problems. Read on about Medicare coverage for epidural steroid injections to relieve pain. When does Medicare cover epidural injections? Original Medicare is comprised of Part A and Part B. Part A may cover epidural steroid injections when you're hospitalized, while Part B may cover these as an outpatient procedure. If you're enrolled in Medicare Advantage (Part C), you should receive the same coverage. You should receive coverage if you're: diagnosed with certain conditions like disc herniation, acute shingles pain, or post-laminectomy syndrome experience pain that significantly affects your daily life are dealing with pain for over 4 weeks despite trying other treatments have had medical imaging, such as CT or ultrasound, showing a qualifying health issue causing the pain Medicare won't approve injections without a clear cause for the pain, or if you also have an infection, spinal compression, are at high risk for cancer, or have a suspected cancer diagnosis. To get coverage, make sure that the healthcare professional administering your injections is qualified to do so, accredited, and accepts Medicare. How do epidural steroid injections work? An epidural steroid injection is a nonsurgical way to relieve pain, especially lower back pain radiating to the lower body or neck pain extending to the arms. A doctor injects a steroid into the epidural space to reduce inflammation and pain. This treatment is useful for conditions like spinal stenosis, radiculitis, sciatica, and herniated discs. These injections may be cervical or lumbar. Cervical injections may be administered in two ways: Interlaminar, injecting between two vertebrae for broader coverage, or transforaminal, targeting a specific nerve root on the spine's side, often called a 'nerve block.' A single-level nerve block targets pain at a specific spinal level, while two-level or multilevel blocks address discomfort at multiple levels. The number of injections Medicare will cover for your treatment depends on the type you get. Some may be approved for up to two levels per region and bilaterally if necessary, while others could be approved for just one level. If the first injections give you at least 50% pain relief for 3 months or more, you might receive approval for more. How much do epidural injections cost through Medicare? The cost of epidural steroid injections can vary depending on whether you have insurance, the type of injection you need, and the number of injections required. For instance, a 2019 study evaluated medical costs for around 14,000 individuals with lumbar spinal fusion who received these injections and found that, on average, people spent about $1,060.67. If you're covered by Part B, you'll need to meet a $257 deductible in 2025 before your coverage kicks in. Afterward, Part B will cover 80% of your costs. There's also a monthly premium, starting at $185, which varies depending on your income. Under Part A, most people don't pay a premium, but you do need to meet a $1,676 deductible. After meeting this amount, Part A will cover all your hospital treatment costs for the first 60 days. Afterward, you'll start to share the daily cost each day until day 101, when you'll be responsible for the entire daily cost. If you're enrolled in a Part C plan, it is managed by a private insurer and comes with its own premium, deductible, and coinsurance. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that the average monthly premium for Part C plans is about $17 in 2025. Keep in mind, you'll still need to pay the Part B premium to stay enrolled in a Part C plan, though some Part C plans might cover this cost for you. Does Medicare cover epidurals during childbirth? Epidural anesthesia, which is often used during childbirth, is different from steroid epidurals for spinal pain. Generally, receiving epidural anesthesia for childbirth while being covered by Medicare is uncommon, as most people become eligible for Medicare at age 65. But you might qualify earlier because of a disability. If you become pregnant, Medicare Part A should generally cover anesthesia that is medically necessary during your hospital stay for delivery. This may include epidural anesthesia. Takeaway An epidural steroid injection can help relieve pain and inflammation from spinal issues. If you're experiencing severe pain that persists for more than 4 weeks and your pain is caused by specific conditions, Medicare may cover this treatment. If you need the procedure in a hospital, Medicare Part A could cover it, while Part B could cover it when done as an outpatient procedure. If you have Medicare Advantage (Part C), you'll get similar coverage. The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Why China is making hospitals offer women pain relief for childbirth
China has mandated that all tertiary hospitals (over 500 beds) must offer epidural anaesthesia during childbirth by the end of 2024, with plans to extend to secondary hospitals (over 100 beds) by 2027. The initiative aims to create a more "friendly childbearing environment" amid declining birth rates in China. Currently, only about 30% of pregnant women in China receive anesthesia for pain relief during childbirth, compared to over 70% in some developed countries. The World Health Organisation recommends epidurals for healthy pregnant women, and they are widely used in countries like France, the United States, and Canada. To encourage more women to have children, an increasing number of provinces in China are including childbirth anesthesia costs in medical insurance schemes, and some provinces are extending marriage and maternity leave.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Hospitals to be made to offer women epidurals to boost birth rates
China has mandated that all tertiary hospitals, those with over 500 beds, must offer epidural anaesthesia during childbirth by the end of this year. This initiative aims to foster a more "friendly childbearing environment" for women, according to the country's National Health Commission (NHC). The NHC's statement last week outlined further plans to extend these services to secondary hospitals, which have more than 100 beds, by 2027. The move comes as authorities grapple with declining birth rates in the world's second-largest economy. In 2024, China's population fell for the third consecutive year, prompting experts to warn of a worsening demographic downturn in the coming years. Currently, around 30% of pregnant women in China receive anaesthesia for pain relief during childbirth. This is in stark contrast to some developed countries, where the rate exceeds 70%, according to the China Daily. The World Health Organization recommends epidurals for healthy pregnant women requesting pain relief and it is widely utilised in many countries around the world, including France, where around 82% of pregnant women opt to have one, and in the United States and Canada where more than 67% do. The move will "improve the comfort level and security of medical services" and "further enhance people's sense of happiness and promote a friendly childbearing environment," the NHC said. A growing number of provinces across China are also beginning to include childbirth anaesthesia costs as part of their medical insurance schemes to encourage more women to have children. High childcare costs as well as job uncertainty and a slowing economy have discouraged many young Chinese from getting married and starting a family. In June, health authorities in China's southwestern Sichuan province proposed to extend marriage leave up to 25 days and maternity leave up to 150 days, to help create a "fertility-friendly society."
CNN
10-06-2025
- Health
- CNN
5 things to know for June 10: LA protests, Anti-ICE protests spread, Ukraine, Vaccines, Harvard
In an effort to boost birth rates, China is focusing on pain. Specifically, the excruciating agony of childbirth. While the practice of providing epidural anesthesia services to healthy pregnant women who are seeking pain relief during labor is widely utilized in many countries, only around 30% of pregnant women in China receive epidurals. To help promote a more 'friendly childbearing environment,' large hospitals in China must now offer this service. Smaller hospitals should be prepared to provide epidurals by 2027. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. The city is terrified, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. Not of crime or protests, but of ICE. 'I can't emphasize enough the level of fear and terror that is in Angelenos right now, not knowing if tomorrow or tonight it might be where they live, it might be their workplace, should you send your kids to school, should you go to work,' she said. Protesters are turning that fear into action, walking through city streets and standing in front of federal buildings to rail against the immigration crackdown. Local police have mobilized to keep the peace, but so have approximately 1,700 members of the National Guard who were deployed by President Donald Trump, not the state's governor. Last night, Trump ordered the deployment of another 2,000 National Guard members as well as a full Marine battalion based in Southern California. 'The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented — mobilizing the best in class branch of the US military against its own citizens,' California Gov. Gavin Newsom said. The LA protests, which began as a reaction to immigration raids, have sparked demonstrations around the country. Although about 150 demonstrators were arrested in San Francisco on Sunday, thousands more returned on Monday to march through the city's Civic Center and Mission neighborhoods. Similar protests took place in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, New York, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Washington, DC. On Saturday, the nonviolent 50501 movement plans to hold 'No Kings' protests nationwide to encourage those in power to uphold the Constitution and to seek an end to executive overreach. Residents of Kyiv may have wanted to grab a few hours of sleep last night but finding such slumber was unlikely. Instead, the sky above Ukraine's capital filled with the sound of the air defense systems trying to stop incoming drones from causing more death and destruction. There were frequent explosions from the drones that got through the defenses and hours of blaring air raid sirens. Russia launched at least 315 drones at Ukraine overnight in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described as 'one of the largest attacks on Kyiv.' The assault damaged high-rise buildings, homes and cars in seven districts of the capital and injured at least four people. Russian drones also struck the southern port city of Odesa, killing at least two people and damaging a maternity ward. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the entire panel of vaccine advisers that guides the CDC on the vaccine schedule and required coverage of immunizations. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Kennedy said the group was plagued with conflicts of interest and will be replaced with new members. Each of the 17 members on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices typically are experts in the field who served in four-year cycles. Removing the entire panel prematurely was unprecedented. 'I've never seen anything this damaging to public health happen in my lifetime,' one just-dismissed panel member said. 'I'm shocked. It's pretty brazen. This will fundamentally destabilize vaccination in America.' The State Department has ordered US diplomatic posts around the world to 'resume processing' Harvard University student and exchange visitor visas. The new guidance was announced after a judge halted President Trump's latest attempt to block international students from attending the Ivy League school. In recent months, the Trump administration has demanded that Harvard change its hiring and admission requirements, eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and alter rules for on-campus protests. But the school has resisted those orders and filed a lawsuit claiming the government's actions violate the First Amendment. On Monday, an amicus brief was submitted to the court that featured the signatures of more than 12,000 Harvard alumni in support of their alma mater. The White House did not respond to CNN's request for comment on the brief. Justin Baldoni's lawsuit dismissedA judge has dismissed the actor/director's $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, alleging that the Hollywood couple sought to 'destroy' his career. Whole Foods' distributor hackedUnited Natural Foods, Inc., one of America's largest publicly traded health food wholesalers, has taken some of its systems offline after a massive cyberattack. Highlights from the red carpetWhat theatrical garb did Broadway's biggest names wear to the 2025 Tony Awards? Here are 13 fabulous looks. Talk about motivation!Wanna be in an Adam Sandler movie? Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry may get the chance — if he rushes for more than 2,000 yards this year. Seeking a 'craveable kick'?Chipotle says that's the goal of its new dip, which combines classic ranch with adobo pepper. The condiment will be available in restaurants next week and will be offered for a limited time. Bestselling author Frederick Forsyth dies at 86The thriller writer penned more than 25 books, including 'The Day of the Jackal,' which was adapted into a film starring Edward Fox in 1973, and more recently a TV series starring Eddie Redmayne. 686,061That's how many babies were born in Japan in 2024. It's the first time the number of newborns fell below 700,000 since record-keeping began in 1899. 'Ending a $5 million research study when it is 80% complete does not save $1 million, it wastes $4 million.' — National Institutes of Health staffers, in a letter to their boss, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, about what they see as the politicization of research and the destruction of scientific progress under the Trump administration. Check your local forecast here>>> Ready for the second coming?The film 'Dogma,' which was released in 1999, has returned to theaters. Director Kevin Smith says the movie about two fallen angels trying to get back into heaven plays better now than when it originally debuted.
CNN
10-06-2025
- Health
- CNN
China to make all hospitals offer epidurals to incentivize childbirth
China said that by the end of this year all tertiary level hospitals must offer epidural anesthesia during childbirth, a move it said would help promote a 'friendly childbearing environment' for women. Tertiary hospitals – those with more than 500 beds – must provide epidural anesthesia services by 2025 while secondary hospitals – those containing more than 100 beds – must provide the services by 2027, China's National Health Commission (NHC) said in a statement last week. Authorities are struggling to boost birth rates in the world's second largest economy after China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024 with experts warning the downturn will worsen in the coming years. Around 30% of pregnant women in China receive anesthesia to relieve pain during childbirth, compared with more than 70% in some developed countries, the official China Daily said. The World Health Organization recommends epidurals for healthy pregnant women requesting pain relief and it is widely utilized in many countries around the world, including France, where around 82% of pregnant women opt to have one, and in the United States and Canada where more than 67% do. The move will 'improve the comfort level and security of medical services' and 'further enhance people's sense of happiness and promote a friendly childbearing environment,' the NHC said. A growing number of provinces across China are also beginning to include childbirth anesthesia costs as part of their medical insurance schemes to encourage more women to have children. High childcare costs as well as job uncertainty and a slowing economy have discouraged many young Chinese from getting married and starting a family. In June, health authorities in China's southwestern Sichuan province proposed to extend marriage leave up to 25 days and maternity leave up to 150 days, to help create a 'fertility-friendly society.'
