Society of International Radiology (SIR) Urges UnitedHealthcare (UHC) to Expand Coverage for Y-90 Radioembolization in Liver Metastases

The Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) has formally asked UnitedHealth Group (UHC) to revise its coverage policy for transarterial radioembolization (TARE)/selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), citing strong clinical evidence supporting broader use of the treatment in patients with metastatic liver disease.

In comments submitted to the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan on November 5, SIR argued that current policy—which limits coverage to liver metastases from colorectal cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, and ocular melanoma—does not reflect the full body of evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of Y-90 radioembolization.

SIR is urging UHC to extend coverage to select patients with chemorefractory, unresectable, liver-dominant metastases originating from:

• Breast cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Lung cancer

SIR highlighted extensive peer-reviewed literature, including meta-analyses, systematic reviews, prospective studies, and large retrospective cohorts, showing that Y-90 radioembolization consistently provides:

• High local tumor control (often 70–98%)
• Improved quality of life
• Meaningful extensions in overall survival
• Low complication rates relative to other therapies

The society emphasized that for certain metastatic cancers—particularly when systemic therapy no longer works—radioembolization may be the only viable treatment option capable of slowing liver progression, delaying hepatic failure, and prolonging survival.

SIR urged UHC to update its commercial policy to ensure equitable patient access, noting that variation in plan type should not dictate whether a patient can receive potentially life-extending care.

Source: https://radiologybusiness.com/topics/medical-imaging/interventional-radiology/society-interventional-radiology-urges-uhc-update-policy-radioembolization-treatment