WESTMINSTER, Colo., April 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Highridge Medical, a leading privately held global spine company with a portfolio supported by extensive clinical evidence, announced that, effective today, UnitedHealthcare® covers vertebral body tethering (VBT), exclusively using The Tether™ Vertebral Body Tethering system. The announcement of positive policy coverage is available from UnitedHealthcare at: https://www.uhcprovider.com/content/dam/provider/docs/public/policies/index/commercial/vertebral-body-tethering-scoliosis-04012026.pdf.
“The UnitedHealthcare coverage decision validates the expectation we noted when we announced previous coverage decisions, that additional policy updates would follow. It is encouraging to see broader endorsement of this opportunity to positively impact the lives of children with scoliosis through a motion-preserving alternative to spinal fusion,” said Rebecca Whitney, CEO of Highridge Medical. “We are honored to work with orthopedic and neurosurgeons to develop vertebral body tethering solutions that may allow children with scoliosis to return to their active daily lives.”
Highridge’s Tether™ device, a first-of-its-kind non-fusion scoliosis treatment, was the first FDA-approved device for VBT. Its humanitarian device exemption (HDE) was granted based on over seven years of clinical data validating the safety and probable benefit of The Tether in scoliosis correction. Over 3,000 children have received The Tether since HDE approval in August of 2019, with approximately 65 U.S. surgeons performing the procedure today.
“I am really excited about UnitedHealthcare’s positive policy decision for The Tether. We’ve been advocating with insurance companies for quite a while now to get this procedure covered. Allowing more surgeons to more easily access the appropriate care for their patients is a big step forward,” said Jaren Riley, M.D., board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and pioneer in vertebral body tethering. “This approval will allow more kids to receive this vital procedure, while ethically moving it forward and collecting the data we need to show that it’s effective.”
This milestone reinforces the company’s mission to move boundaries today so patients can thrive tomorrow.
About Highridge Medical
Highridge Medical is a global medical device company committed to improving spine care by partnering with the surgeon community to drive innovation. The company has a strong portfolio supported by extensive clinical evidence, including solutions for complex spine, motion preservation, and minimally invasive surgery. For further information, please visit www.highridgemedical.com.
About The Tether™ – Vertebral Body Tethering System
The Tether received FDA Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) on August 16, 2019. The system is authorized by Federal law for use in the treatment of patients with idiopathic scoliosis with a Cobb angle of 30-65 degrees. Patients should have failed bracing and/or be intolerant to brace wear. There is probable benefit of the device, but its efficacy is still unproven. Post-operative risks include overcorrection of the instrumented curve, cord breakage, and bone screw migration. Full contraindication and risk information can be found at www.myscoliosis.com.
Media Contact: Mark Richards
(512) 913-9572
mark.richards@highridgemedical.com
