The proposal outlines a number of policy changes that would affect Medicare physician payment, quality reporting, and the Quality Payment Program (QPP), as well as other Medicare Part B policies impacting physicians and other clinicians.
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CMS is accepting public comments on the proposed rule through September 14, 2026. NANS will review the proposal and provide members with a summary highlighting key provisions and potential impacts on neuromodulation practice in the coming weeks.

Click below to view the proposed rule and fact sheet:

​A key achievement was the adoption of a NANS-sponsored resolution addressing prior authorization barriers for neuromodulation. With its acceptance by the AMA House of Delegates, NANS now has an additional advocacy tool when engaging payers, policymakers, and other healthcare stakeholders. The policy also helps build broader multi-society support for efforts to reduce administrative burdens, minimize treatment delays, and improve patient access to medically necessary neuromodulation care.

NANS was also voted into the AMA Mobility Caucus, a coalition of medical specialty societies focused on preserving and restoring patient function, mobility, and quality of life. Membership provides NANS with new opportunities to collaborate with other physician organizations on shared policy priorities, contribute neuromodulation expertise to broader healthcare discussions, and ensure that the needs of patients with chronic pain and neurological conditions are represented in national policy conversations.
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Together, these developments expand NANS' influence within organized medicine and strengthen its ability to advocate for patient access to evidence-based neuromodulation therapies.

​In a letter submitted on April 28, NANS states that the therapy is supported by strong clinical evidence and should not be classified as “not medically necessary.”
 
Data from randomized trials show significantly improved motor function and nearly double the response rates compared to rehabilitation alone.
 
NANS also raised concerns that UHC’s policy relies on outdated evidence and does not reflect recent research or long-term outcomes.
 
The Society urges UHC to align its policy with current evidence and FDA approval to ensure appropriate patient access to this therapy.

​The coalition warns that some health plans are undermining the law’s intent by shifting costs to patients, delaying payments, and limiting transparency in the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process.
 
The organizations highlight issues including increased patient cost-sharing after dispute decisions, reopening of settled cases, and delays or incomplete payments to physicians—practices that may impact both patient protections and access to care.
 
NANS and its partners are urging federal regulators to strengthen enforcement, improve transparency, and ensure timely, accurate payments in line with the law’s intent.

Effective March 10, Aetna revised its Clinical Policy Bulletin to consider peripheral nerve stimulators medically necessary for the treatment of intractable pain when criteria are met, enabling eligible patients to receive coverage for PNS therapy.

Aetna covers approximately 4.4 million members nationwide, making this update a meaningful step in improving access to evidence-based neuromodulation care.

The medical policy is available to read online:

Developed by a multidisciplinary panel, the guideline provides a rigorous, evidence-based appraisal of the current literature on implantable PNS across chronic pain indications, including anatomical and indication-specific recommendations supported by graded levels of evidence.

As the clinical use of PNS continues to expand, the guideline aims to clarify where strong evidence exists, where emerging evidence may support clinical use, and where important research gaps remain.

As part of the guideline development process, NANS has opened a public comment period to allow stakeholders to review the draft recommendations. Submitted comments will be considered by the guideline development panel; however, feedback is advisory in nature, and NANS is not obligated to make revisions based on submitted comments.

The public comment period is open through March 31, 2026.
 
Review the draft recommendations and submit comments.