News & Press

Aetna and BlueCross BlueShield's Coverage of BHRT

We want to alert you that two of the largest health insurers in the nation -- Aetna and BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) -- have changed their policies regarding coverage of bioidentical hormones.
Aetna will cease coverage of bioidentical hormones and thyroid compounded medications as of October 1, 2007. After that point, Aetna customers must pay out of pocket for medications their doctor determines that they need. To view Aetna’s official policy, please visit http://www.centercare.com/whoweare/NCR_6_2007.pdf.
Bellevue Pharmacy is a member of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP). IACP’s public affairs team recently sent Aetna a statement objecting to its decision to cease coverage of all bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) compounded medications.
There are also reports that BlueCross BlueShield has changed their reimbursement policy for BHRT, based on the results of an unscientific 2001 FDA study - a study that even the FDA does not support. IACP is attempting to learn more details on this front.
BCBS’s and Aetna’s new policies for bioidentical hormones do not serve patients’ interests, but those of pharmaceutical giants like Wyeth, which manufactures equine hormone drug products. Wyeth has a long history of trying to restrict patient choice and interfere in the doctor-patient relationship by limiting compounding, and this action appears to be yet another example.
If you are covered by Aetna or BlueCross BlueShield and are affected by this change, we encourage you to contact your employers’ Human Resource department and ask them to petition your health insurer to reinstate coverage of bioidentical hormones. Remind your Human Resource department that healthy employees are productive employees and your health depends on bioidentical hormones. In addition, you can use the following locator to petition your state insurance commissioner’s office: http://www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm .