Trends in Utilization and Reimbursement of Interspinous Process Devices in the Medicare Population.

This article discusses the trends in utilization and reimbursement of interspinous process devices (IPDs) in the Medicare population. IPDs are a less invasive treatment option for lumbar degenerative disease, but studies have found that they may only provide initial symptomatic relief and are not better than traditional surgery in improving function, disability, or quality of life. The article reports a significant increase in IPD utilization between 2017 and 2020, with percutaneous placements increasing by 1267% and open procedures decreasing by 27%. The majority of IPDs were placed by pain management/anesthesia specialists, and utilization increased by 1387% over the study period. The article suggests that further investigation is needed to understand the driving forces behind IPD utilization and to examine the indications for their use. [Extracted from the article]