AppliedVR, an immersive therapeutics company, announced that Pittsburgh-based Highmark, a Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated health insurer, will be the first health plan to cover RelieVRx, AppliedVRs FDA-cleared virtual reality offering to treat chronic low back pain. 

Eligible Highmark members 18 years and older diagnosed with moderate to severe chronic low back pain will be able to get a prescription for RelieVRx without prior authorization.

California-based AppliedVR’s RelieVRx (formerly EaseVRx) is a fully immersive virtual reality experience intended to empower people with the skills needed to manage chronic low back pain and a non-pharmacologic option to reduce pain.

With RelieVRx, patients go through a 56-session, multimodal program that includes daily virtual reality sessions that utilize regulation and mindfulness skills, as well as techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy to help them control their symptoms.

“We are committed to leveraging technology to enhance health outcomes while reducing costs,” Matt Fickie, senior medical director for Highmark, said in a statement. “RelieVRx from AppliedVR provides our members suffering from chronic low back pain a scientifically backed, in-home immersive non-opioid treatment option.”

Addressing the millions of people who experience chronic low back pain, AppliedVR cofounder and chief executive officer Matthew Stoudt said that individuals who battle low back pain deserve access to noninvasive, drug-free options that empower them to self-manage their pain. 

“Highmark’s forward-thinking approach recognizes the promise of immersive therapeutics, and we are grateful for their collaboration. RelieVRx is based on decades of clinical evidence demonstrating the transformative potential of immersive therapeutics to reshape the body’s response to pain, and we are committed to building an even greater body of evidence that continues to set the industry standard,” Stoudt said. 

THE LARGER TREND

In April, Lovell Government Services partnered with AppliedVR to be its federal distribution partner to support sales through government healthcare systems like the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Military Health System (MHS), and Indian Health Services (IHS).

In March, AppliedVR announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established a Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II code (E1905) that covers its flagship product, the RelieVRx program.

In February, AppliedVR and Kernal, a precision medicine company, announced a joint study measuring the impact of VR pain treatment on the brain. The single-blind, sham-controlled design compared brain activation patterns and physiological metrics before, during and after VR experiences in people experiencing chronic low back pain.

In August, Highmark announced that more than $800,000 in “BluePrints for the Community” grants had been awarded for Q2 2024. The grants address various community needs, including improving access to healthcare and providing economic stability to individuals and families.

In July, Highmark Health Options West Virginia launched a managed care organization (MCO) and the first Blue Cross Blue Shield-branded MCO to serve West Virginians.