Healthcare insurers continue to deploy medical policies that prevent head and neck cancer survivors from receiving physician-prescribed and desperately needed lymphedema therapy. The purpose of this petition is to shine a spotlight on this vulnerable population and implore healthcare insurers to update their medical policy to cover medically necessary pneumatic compression therapy for their head and neck cancer patients.
Studies show that over 90% of head and neck cancer survivors develop lymphedema (1), a buildup of lymph fluid in the soft tissues of the neck, that can significantly impair eating, speaking, and breathing (2). FDA cleared pneumatic compression therapy has been proven to alleviate these issues and positively impact the head and neck cancer survivors’ quality of life (3). If lymphedema goes untreated it often leads to irreversible fibrosis, aspiration, recurrent infections, hospitalization, long-term feeding tube dependency and even mortality. Pneumatic compression is a NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) recommendation to treat lymphedema in breast cancer patients who have undergone radiation and/or lymph node removal. If pneumatic compression therapy is a covered benefit for breast cancer patients, then why not head and neck cancer patients who develop lymphedema for the same reasons?
By signing this petition, you are telling health insurance companies that NOW is the time for them to update their medical policy and make pneumatic compression therapy a covered benefit for the head and neck cancer survivor community.
Studies Cited:
- Jeans et al., 2021; Jeans et al., 2022
- Cristofaro et al., 2021; Dirix et al., 2006; Johnson et al., 2020; Lydiatt, 2020; Osazuwa-Peters et al., 2021
- Gutierrez et al., 2019
Updates
April 27, 2025
We hit 1,000 signatures today. Post this link on Facebook and tag your insurance provider to demand they cover this therapy for survivors.
Reached 1,000 supporters
April 24, 2025
April 23, 2025
We are approaching one thousand signatures and need to maintain this momentum to catch the attention of these insurance providers. Post the link to your Facebook feed right now to help us reach our goal.
Reached 100 supporters
April 7, 2023
85 Comments
Please change the medical policies to include lymphedema therapy for head and neck cancer survivors my dad had the opportunity to use it and although his battle ended in 2021 this treatment helped to give him the best quality of life.
As a Head and Neck survivor of 16 years I have had to personally pay for the treatments that the insurance company deemed 'not covered.' Please help to get the insurance companies understand how financially burdensome this is to patients.
As an 18 year survivor of Head and Neck Cancer I and many of my fellow survivors have suffered undue economic damage as a result of EXCLUSION "because it's dental and not medical" or "it is not a relative side effect to the treatment" It has cost me tens of thousands of dollars and it is time to STOP!
Lymphedema can surface throughout the body. Head & Neck cancer survivors should have the same access to therapy as lymphedema sufferers that result from breast cancer, prostrate cancer, etc.
I am a Lymphedema Therapist. The people that have lymphedema in the head or neck need devices that can be used at home every day to allow them better breathing and quality of life, not fighting for breath or hiding from the world.
Another insurance issue is denial of swallowing therapy which insurance company views as speech therapy.
Lymphedema is a significant medical sequela from cancer treatment. These patients require all the tools to help manage lymphedema to improve comfort, mobility, swallow and overall function.
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Healthcare insurers continue to deploy medical policies that prevent head and neck cancer survivors from receiving physician-prescribed and desperately needed lymphedema therapy. The purpose of this petition is to shine a spotlight on this vulnerable population and implore healthcare insurers to update their medical policy to cover medically necessary pneumatic compression therapy for their head and neck cancer patients.
Studies show that over 90% of head and neck cancer survivors develop lymphedema (1), a buildup of lymph fluid in the soft tissues of the neck, that can significantly impair eating, speaking, and breathing (2). FDA cleared pneumatic compression therapy has been proven to alleviate these issues and positively impact the head and neck cancer survivors’ quality of life (3). If lymphedema goes untreated it often leads to irreversible fibrosis, aspiration, recurrent infections, hospitalization, long-term feeding tube dependency and even mortality. Pneumatic compression is a NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) recommendation to treat lymphedema in breast cancer patients who have undergone radiation and/or lymph node removal. If pneumatic compression therapy is a covered benefit for breast cancer patients, then why not head and neck cancer patients who develop lymphedema for the same reasons?
By signing this petition, you are telling health insurance companies that NOW is the time for them to update their medical policy and make pneumatic compression therapy a covered benefit for the head and neck cancer survivor community.
Studies Cited:
- Jeans et al., 2021; Jeans et al., 2022
- Cristofaro et al., 2021; Dirix et al., 2006; Johnson et al., 2020; Lydiatt, 2020; Osazuwa-Peters et al., 2021
- Gutierrez et al., 2019
Updates
April 27, 2025
We hit 1,000 signatures today. Post this link on Facebook and tag your insurance provider to demand they cover this therapy for survivors.
Reached 1,000 supporters
April 24, 2025
April 23, 2025
We are approaching one thousand signatures and need to maintain this momentum to catch the attention of these insurance providers. Post the link to your Facebook feed right now to help us reach our goal.
Reached 100 supporters
April 7, 2023
85 Comments
Being a radiation oncology provider who provides follow up care, the availability of this modality is pertinent to patient recovery and post-treatment symptom management.
Please change the medical policies to include lymphedema therapy for head and neck cancer survivors my dad had the opportunity to use it and although his battle ended in 2021 this treatment helped to give him the best quality of life.
As a Head and Neck survivor of 16 years I have had to personally pay for the treatments that the insurance company deemed 'not covered.' Please help to get the insurance companies understand how financially burdensome this is to patients.
As an 18 year survivor of Head and Neck Cancer I and many of my fellow survivors have suffered undue economic damage as a result of EXCLUSION "because it's dental and not medical" or "it is not a relative side effect to the treatment" It has cost me tens of thousands of dollars and it is time to STOP!
Lymphedema can surface throughout the body. Head & Neck cancer survivors should have the same access to therapy as lymphedema sufferers that result from breast cancer, prostrate cancer, etc.
I am a Lymphedema Therapist. The people that have lymphedema in the head or neck need devices that can be used at home every day to allow them better breathing and quality of life, not fighting for breath or hiding from the world.
Another insurance issue is denial of swallowing therapy which insurance company views as speech therapy.
Lymphedema is a significant medical sequela from cancer treatment. These patients require all the tools to help manage lymphedema to improve comfort, mobility, swallow and overall function.
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Being a radiation oncology provider who provides follow up care, the availability of this modality is pertinent to patient recovery and post-treatment symptom management.