Are bright lights medically approved and reimbursed?
Although clinicians increasingly understand and prescribe bright light therapy, there is, as yet, no light device that has completed the FDA process. Since bright light therapy is relatively new, insurance coverage is spotty. A claim may be initially rejected, but upon further explanation may be covered. Medicare does not routinely cover such devices. Expect coverage for SAD to improve as insurance companies learn that light therapy is far less expensive than antidepressants.
