Study finds breathing device treats panic attacks – and lowers medical costs
Eighty percent of the 50 Highmark subscribers who used Freespira for a month were panic-attack free 12 months later. Ninety-three percent had fewer panic symptoms.
A year after treatment, their total medical costs were down by half, emergency department costs fell by 64 percent and medication bills fell by 53 percent. On average, total annual costs for sickness-related medical visits were
Treatment with Freespira, which also involves a few therapy sessions, costs
The theory behind the treatment is that improper breathing -- too fast or too deep -- can trigger physical symptoms that spiral into full-blown panic attacks.
Freespira was tested as part of Highmark's VITAL (Verification of Innovation through Testing, Analysis and Learning) Innovation Program. VITAL gathers extra information on new medical treatments that are approved but have not yet proven themselves worthy of insurance reimbursement.
Previous tests have led to coverage for
For the Freespira trial, Highmark partnered with its medical affiliate,
Six million people in
As a result of the trial, he said, Highmark plans to roll out coverage to its subscribers in the Allegheny system next year. If Freespira continues to perform well, subscribers who receive care elsewhere may also be included.
Patients with panic disorder can be treated with anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants. Those work but there's a high relapse rate if people stop taking them, Mannarino said. Some studies show that cognitive behavior therapy, which involves learning to think about problems differently, has success rates similar to Freespira. The problem there is that few therapists are trained to offer it effectively, which can mean 12 to 15 sessions.
Freespira is based on the premise that most people with panic disorder hyperventilate. That leads to an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. The device uses biofeedback to teach users to breathe slowly, evenly and shallowly and to exhale thoroughly.
Freespira measures respiration rate and carbon dioxide through nasal tubes. Patients are instructed to practice for 17 minutes, twice a day. They can track their progress on a computer tablet. Sound cues tell them when to inhale and exhale. Over four weeks, their breathing rate declines to six breaths per minute.
Reisenthel said Freespira is not yet covered by any major health insurer, but
She said the company is testing whether Freespira can help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and working with
___
(c)2017 Philly.com
Visit Philly.com at www.philly.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Future of Market Access in US
ACLU to host town hall on civil rights issues
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News