Inspire Medical Systems Inc, a medical technology company that makes an implantable therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is focused on the development and commercialization of minimally invasive solutions for patients with the sleep disorder, reports that health plan UnitedHealthcare will provide coverage for the company’s Inspire therapy effective August 1, 2019. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group, a diversified health care company that provides coverage for approximately 41 million members.

“We are very pleased to receive this positive coverage decision from UnitedHealthcare. As health plans continue to update their coverage policies to include Inspire therapy, an increasing number of patients and physicians will have access to our innovative therapy,” says Tim Herbert, president and CEO of Inspire Medical Systems, in a release. “With the addition of UnitedHealthcare, we now have 35 coverage policies, representing approximately 125 million members, that cover Inspire therapy compared to 3 million members one year ago.”

Under its policy, UnitedHealthcare considers Inspire’s hypoglossal nerve neurostimulation device to be medically necessary for the treatment of moderate to severe OSA when specified criteria are met, including a previous attempt at continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment as well as patient selection consistent with the FDA’s approval guidelines.