We decided on Schroth and spinecor

[Bigbluefrog]

We went to the Orthopedic surgeon and her curves have progressed by 3 degrees and the Boston brace was suggested. He did not recognize Shroth or Spinecor.

I know that many have great results with Cheneau, and I struggled with that decision. I had to think of her feelings and how this would impact an extremely shy girl. The diabetes has made her grow up fast, but it also impacts her life. HEr extreme high active lifestyle....and all the night checks to keep her bg stable is very challenging. The spinecor brace allows some discretion with the design easy to hide and allow her movement.

We will start an intensive week training with Schroth at a clinic in Wisconisn. 4 hours a day. And would you believe insurance won't pick up anything....because its considered new and out of network.

I feel some relief that we actually have a plan of action. It has a the same percentage of success as the other braces from some studies I have read.
This disease is truly a unique...some will improve, some progress, and some will stay the same.

I must of spent hours on this site pouring over testimony and results, success, surgeries, different braces, yoga, Schroth, massage, and various other techniques. The ones that always stuck out was Schroth and Spinecor.

I know as Parent you want the best for your child... good health, happiness, and success.

Praying that we are on the high road to success...God willing!:)

[hope404]

the combination of the two probably is a good idea ....alot of people have had good results with Scroth...especially younger kids...

all the best!!!!

Hope 404

[LindaRacine]

We went to the Orthopedic surgeon and her curves have progressed by 3 degrees and the Boston brace was suggested. He did not recognize Shroth or Spinecor.

I know that many have great results with Cheneau, and I struggled with that decision. I had to think of her feelings and how this would impact an extremely shy girl. The diabetes has made her grow up fast, but it also impacts her life. HEr extreme high active lifestyle....and all the night checks to keep her bg stable is very challenging. The spinecor brace allows some discretion with the design easy to hide and allow her movement.

We will start an intensive week training with Schroth at a clinic in Wisconisn. 4 hours a day. And would you believe insurance won't pick up anything....because its considered new and out of network.

I feel some relief that we actually have a plan of action. It has a the same percentage of success as the other braces from some studies I have read.
This disease is truly a unique...some will improve, some progress, and some will stay the same.

I must of spent hours on this site pouring over testimony and results, success, surgeries, different braces, yoga, Schroth, massage, and various other techniques. The ones that always stuck out was Schroth and Spinecor.

I know as Parent you want the best for your child... good health, happiness, and success.

Praying that we are on the high road to success...God willing!:)
Although I'm sorry you'll have to pay for Schroth out of your pocket, I actually think it's a good sign, for the good of all, that insurance isn't paying. There are no long-term studies showing that Schroth can permanently reduce curves, or even keep them from progressing. With insurance premiums rising like crazy, we all need to be vigilant about using insurance for treatments that have documented proof of effectiveness in the long term. In the near future, all healthcare providers will have to show proof of cost effectiveness.

--Linda

[hdugger]

Given how expensive scoliosis surgery is, I'm surprised that the insurance companies aren't investigating other, cheaper, treatments.

$5000 for a child with a progressing curve is a small investment if it will keep them from sinking $100,000 (and potentially, much more) into surgery.

Best of luck with your daughter. Let us know how it turns out.

[Pooka1]

Given how expensive scoliosis surgery is, I'm surprised that the insurance companies aren't investigating other, cheaper, treatments.


I suggest they have. If they could find an ethical way to avoid paying those those huge bills they would have done so by now.

There are two treatments at present that have enough scientific evidence to recommend them... watching/waiting and surgery. One costs nothing and one is the most expensive treatment out there. PT and bracing may be shown to be effective in the future for some people but it isn't in the science column yet.

PT studies seem too hard to conduct so we just don't know if it helps. And PT certainly doesn't seem like it could possibly constitute a permanent solution.

Bracing may have one foot in the science door... some surgeons clearly feel bracing works for some so I think there is probably something to it. At present, though, nobody can claim they know that.

[hdugger]

PT and bracing may be shown to be effective in the future for some people but it isn't in the science column yet.

Right. Hence my confusion as to why the insurance companies aren't trying to put them in the science column. They have enough money/resources to put together a good study.

I think the SEAS people are correct in their guidelines for when to use exercise, bracing, and surgery in adolescents. Exercise is for small curves in young patients. Like bracing, but used earlier, the idea is that you keep the curve from progressing into bracing/surgery territory during the growth spurts and, thus, can graduate patients from exercise once they mature. So, for young patients, exercise would not be life-long. Bracing is for patients who "break through" exercise into larger curves, and surgery is for patients who "break through" bracing.

The SEAS guideline for exercise in mature patients is to use it to reduce curves that are in or creeping towards the surgical territory. In this case, it would likely be life-long.

[mamandcrm]

Hi BigBlueFrog,

Good luck with your treatment choices--I hope it works out well for your daughter.

[Pooka1]

Right. Hence my confusion as to why the insurance companies aren't trying to put them in the science column. They have enough money/resources to put together a good study.

I don't know what they would say but I think it is rational at this point to suggest the definitive study might not be doable.

And depending on the results from Braist, I think not paying for braces might be in the future though probably not on the basis of just one study. If and when it is repeated with the same conclusions though, I think things will change if braces can't be rigorously shown to be effective.

[bbrian35]

Sorry to hear your policy doesn't cover Schroth. Our Insurance company does as I believe they should. There are people posting who suggest insurance money shouldn't be wasted on non-proven treatment plans, but insurance covers braces. These same people suggest that bracing isn't necessarily proven to work so I have to wonder why they don't take issue with insurance companies covering braces. Bigbluefrog, there are a lot of success stories with different modes of treatment. You can listen to the naysayers and those who refer you to this study or that, or you can talk to others who can tell you about their experiences, successful or not, and to the medical professionals with years of treatment experience. There are lots of supportive people who will PM you to avoid the cr*p you will find on your thread. There are people who will tell you of success they have found in using Schroth and RSC or Cheneau bracing (who do you think will be the first to quote this and respond-PM me). I could have listened to the endless babble, but we went with Schroth and Cheneau brace for my recently diagnosed child and for what I consider sound reasoning. Whatever you do, don't let the seemingly endless argumentative, treatment/Schroth bashers dismay you if you choose to go that route or any other route. Do your homework and you'll know what direction to go. Feel free to PM me. Good luck to you!!!

[Pooka1]

And would you believe insurance won't pick up anything....because its considered new and out of network.

I think you can successfully challenge them on the "new" part. Schroth has been around for ~90 years. I would make sure they aren't confusing it with Clear or something else. I think others have said their insurance paid for Schroth... maybe they will chime in.

Spinecor, on the other hand, is new and is still considered experimental though I think some here have claimed their insurance paid for it.

Good luck with the insurance and on the treatment.

[bbrian35]

I think you can successfully challenge them on the "new" part. Schroth has been around for ~90 years. I would make sure they aren't confusing it with Clear or something else. I think others have said their insurance paid for Schroth... maybe they will chime in.


Good luck with the insurance and on the treatment.

I agree wholeheartedly!

[SLS]

Who is your insurance company? I have BCBS of MI and they paid 100% of my daughters two weeks in Stevens Point AND they paid for the wall board and other equipment I purchased from them. Even thought I am out of state, they worked with BCBS of WI. The center was a preferred provider. I'd fight for this!

[mamamax]

Bluefrog ~

Wishing you and your daughter all the best of success. Regarding insurance - mine paid/pays 80% out of network for Spinecor treatment. My orthopedic specialist (surgeon) wrote a prescription for it. If you can get a medical doctor to do the same, you may have more luck. I'm sure you're excited and happy to begin - and my thoughts & prayers will be with yours .. all the very best!

[MitoMom]

Here is one of the many lessons I've learned with John on our 20 year journey through the medical and insurance world: It is easier to deny a claim than to pay it.

Before going through the appeal process make sure that the right billing codes are being used to describe the brace and treatment plan. A lot of time those codes are what cause the claim to be kicked out by the computer. But when the claim is reviewed by a person they get approved.

It might also help to get a letter from your orthoped explaining the rational for the brace as well as the therapy. It should also include a statement by the dr that this is less invasive than immediately taking your child into surgery at $$$,$$$ with the potential for even more $$$,$$$ due to needing a revision because she had the surgery so early. Drs write these kinds of letters all the time so don't hesitate to ask for one. They also know the cue words that get the insurance to pay attention.

Check your policy, document who you spoke with, date & time, ask for their supervisor and keep going up the chain of command and through the appeals process. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[Pooka1]

It should also include a statement by the dr that this is less invasive than immediately taking your child into surgery at $$$,$$$ with the potential for even more $$$,$$$ due to needing a revision because she had the surgery so early.

Immediate surgery is not on the table... I think Bigbluefrog's daughter's curves are in the mid 20 degree range. There is no surgeon who doesn't want to lose their license who would operate on that therefore that is not on the table.

[mariaf]

Here is one of the many lessons I've learned with John on our 20 year journey through the medical and insurance world: It is easier to deny a claim than to pay it.

Before going through the appeal process make sure that the right billing codes are being used to describe the brace and treatment plan. A lot of time those codes are what cause the claim to be kicked out by the computer. But when the claim is reviewed by a person they get approved.

It might also help to get a letter from your orthoped explaining the rational for the brace as well as the therapy. It should also include a statement by the dr that this is less invasive than immediately taking your child into surgery at $$$,$$$ with the potential for even more $$$,$$$ due to needing a revision because she had the surgery so early. Drs write these kinds of letters all the time so don't hesitate to ask for one. They also know the cue words that get the insurance to pay attention.

Check your policy, document who you spoke with, date & time, ask for their supervisor and keep going up the chain of command and through the appeals process. You may be pleasantly surprised.

That is excellent advice.

For example, vertebral body stapling (VBS) surgery has been covered by several insurance carriers over the past few years, but ONLY after the patient, along with the doctor involved, filed an appeal. In the case of VBS, most insurance carriers will deny the claim initially (because they can) - but many have reversed their decisions once an appeal was filed.

[Nim]

BigBlueFrog........Your insurance may not cover "Schroth", persay.....But, IF the Schroth practitioner (or one of them there) is a licensed physical therapist, your insurance may cover it.

My insurance will cover physical therapy, so if my doc prescribes physical therapy and my Schroth practitioner is a licensed physical therapist, (which she is), my insurance will cover the sessions.....Check out if your insurance will cover PT....

I have made some decisions also.....we are going with Schroth, Iyengar yoga classes, torso rotation machine at the gym, and if a brace is needed, a Rego Cheneau........

[Bigbluefrog]

Thank you for wishing us well...we leave tomorrow for Steven's point.

I have fought the insurance issue to the highest level. We carry an HMO with only in network providers...since schroth uses the same PT codes it has been denied because the PT in network have the same codes. I wrote letters and the doctor called and went back to back for me the highest level for considering coverage...all denied. I believe its because there are no studies in the US of successful treatment. The clinic we are going to ...gave me a reference sheet of 3 pages of happy patients from all over the states. About 50 names. I have read the Katrina Schroth book...fascinating. The videos online show quite impressive improvement with patients.

So we will pay out of pocket..its only money, this is our child..and I guess for me I need to know that we tried our best to help her.

Her curves are 25 -27 degrees...depending on who reads them. I often wondered what would happen if we did nothing....or if we try everything...what will be... will be.

[Bigbluefrog]

okay we only finished a week of therapy, and already she is taller ....lol that may be genetics.

They measured her on the first day and took pictures...after 5 days she was a 1/2 inch taller.

the exercises were to lengthen her spine and use the smaller muscles that are attached to the spine to recondition them to help strengthen and straighten the back. They use a special breathing technique called rotational breathing, to help expand areas that have collapsed from the spine twisting.

We been doing the exercises at home twice a day, since she still has no brace.

We will get rolfing this week too.

[michael1960]

We have also considered going to WI for Schroth. It is my understanding there are a couple different places in WI. I have been talking with Scoliosis Rehab.

The past week or so I have been reading the Three-Dimensional Treatment For Scoliosis book (the original Schroth book). It is very helpful. There are some very basic concepts in it that a person could do right now. However, some of it is much more complicated and I can see the value in having a trained therapists. The book may be helpful for anyone going to the therapy to get a basic understanding of the method. The book provides a lot of detail.

As my daughter has recently completed the Clear Method intensive treatment and as she does about two hours of therapy/exercises daily, the basic concepts are very similar to Schroth:

1. Elongate the Spine
2. Work on Derotation of the Trunk
3. Strengthen and Stretch Muscles

We have been able to incorporate some very basic Schroth methods into her exercises (very basic ones!). I just wanted to mention that I have read the book and it has been very helpful. If nothing else I have a much better understanding of how the spine and the muscles need to work together. I wish I would have read it before our Clear Method treatment, some of the treatment would have made much more sense to me.