Optum/United Healthcare/United Behavioral Health Expands NeuroStar® TMS Coverage to Include Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
Rhea-AI Summary
Neuronetics (NASDAQ: STIM) announced that Optum/United Healthcare/United Behavioral Health updated its Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) clinical policy to allow psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) to order, supervise, and administer TMS where full practice authority (FPA) exists.
The change expands access to NeuroStar TMS across 26 states and Washington, D.C. and affects 34.8 million Optum/UHC/UBH commercial covered lives, increasing provider capacity for non-drug depression treatment.
Positive
- Access expanded to 34.8 million Optum/UHC/UBH commercial covered lives
- Coverage added in 26 states + D.C., increasing geographic availability
- PMHNPs with FPA can now order, supervise, and administer NeuroStar TMS
- Dedicated health policy team credited with advancing payer coverage
Negative
- Policy limited to states with full practice authority, excluding many states
- Change applies to Optum/UHC/UBH commercial lives only, not all payors
- Clinical authority expansion still excludes non-FPA practitioners, limiting nationwide impact
News Market Reaction – STIM
In the Apr 13 session, STIM gained 2.96%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +16.2% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 3 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Policy Update Broadens Access to Innovative, Non-Drug Depression Treatment Across 26 States and Washington, D.C.
MALVERN, Pa., April 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Neuronetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: STIM), a medical technology company focused on designing, developing, and marketing products that improve the quality of life for patients who suffer from neurohealth disorders and the maker of NeuroStar® Advanced Therapy, announced that Optum/United Healthcare/United Behavioral Health (Optum/UHC/UBH) has updated its Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) clinical policy to allow psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) to order, supervise, and administer TMS therapy. Previously, this authority was limited to psychiatrists. The updated policy applies to PMHNPs operating in states where full practice authority (FPA) is granted and who are practicing within the advanced practice registered nurse state scope of practice. By expanding who can deliver TMS care, this policy update increases access to NeuroStar therapy amongst the 34.8 million Optum/UHC/UBH commercial covered lives.
The policy update expands access to NeuroStar TMS therapy across 26 states and Washington, D.C., including Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.
“Nurse practitioners have long been on the front lines of mental healthcare, and this policy update by Optum/UHC/UBH is a significant milestone for expanding care across the country,” said Dan Reuvers, President and CEO of Neuronetics, Inc. “By recognizing the critical role that psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners play in delivering care, this decision will help ensure that more patients, particularly those in underserved communities, can access the life-changing treatment they deserve. We are proud of the work our dedicated health policy team has done to help make this possible.”
Brian Banks, MSN, BSN, PMHNP-BC, owner of Lighthouse Mental Wellness in Pembroke, MA, applauds the advocacy efforts of Neuronetics' health policy team. “I have seen firsthand how effective NeuroStar TMS can be for patients who have not responded to medication,” said Brian Banks, MSN, BSN, PMHNP-BC. “This policy update is recognition that nurse practitioners are highly qualified to deliver this therapy, and it opens the door for so many more patients to get the help they need. I am proud to have been part of the journey that helped lead to this moment.”
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious condition that affects 21 million adults in the United States, with millions unable to tolerate or receiving inadequate relief from antidepressant medication.1 NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is a non-drug, non-invasive treatment option that delivers targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate neurons in the brain responsible for regulating mood. According to the NeuroStar Outcomes Database real-world study, patients achieved up to an
Neuronetics is the only TMS company in the industry with a dedicated health policy team that partners with both providers and payors to advocate for health policy updates. For more information about NeuroStar TMS Therapy, please visit NeuroStar.com.
About Neuronetics
Neuronetics, Inc. believes that mental health is as important as physical health. As a global leader in neuroscience, Neuronetics is delivering more treatment options to patients and physicians by offering exceptional in-office treatments that produce extraordinary results. NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is a non-drug, noninvasive treatment that can improve the quality of life for people suffering from neurohealth conditions when traditional medication has not helped. In addition to selling the NeuroStar Advanced Therapy System and associated treatment sessions to customers, Neuronetics operates Greenbrook TMS Inc. (“Greenbrook”) treatment centers across the United States, offering NeuroStar Advanced Therapy for the treatment of major depressive disorder (“MDD”) and other mental health disorders. NeuroStar Advanced Therapy is the leading transcranial magnetic stimulation (“TMS”) treatment for MDD in adults, and is backed by the largest clinical data set of any TMS treatment system for depression, including the world’s largest depression outcomes registry. Greenbrook treatment centers also offer SPRAVATO® (esketamine) nasal spray, a prescription medicine indicated for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression in adults as monotherapy or in conjunction with an oral antidepressant. It is also indicated for depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation or behavior in conjunction with an oral antidepressant.3
The NeuroStar Advanced Therapy System is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for adults with MDD, as an adjunct for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder, to decrease anxiety symptoms in adult patients with MDD that may exhibit comorbid anxiety symptoms (anxious depression), and as a first line adjunct for the treatment of MDD in adolescent patients aged 15-21. For safety information and indications for use, visit NeuroStar.com.
Neuronetics Contact:
Investors:
Mike Vallie or Mark Klausner
ICR Healthcare
443-213-0499
ir@neuronetics.com
Media:
EvolveMKD
646.517.4220
NeuroStar@evolvemkd.com
References
1 https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
2 Outcomes Registry data was published by Sackeim HA, et al. J Affective Disorders, 2020, 277(12):65-74. The outcomes reported represent the subset of study patients for which the CGI-S data was reported before and after an acute course of NeuroStar TMS. Patients were treated under real-world conditions where patients may have been prescribed concomitant depression treatments including medications. “Measurable relief” was defined as a CGI-S score <=3 and “complete remission” was defined as a CGI-S score <=2 at the end of treatment.
3 The effectiveness of SPRAVATO® in preventing suicide or in reducing suicidal ideation or behavior has not been demonstrated. Use of SPRAVATO® does not preclude the need for hospitalization if clinically warranted, even if patients experience improvement after an initial dose of SPRAVATO®. For more important safety information about SPRAVATO®, please visit spravatohcp.com.
