The use of atypical antipsychotic medication as an off-label treatment has been rising.

Within 5 years the drug was being widely used for the off-label treatment of pain and psychiatric conditions.

Also, they may question how many off-label treatments are not covered by insurance.

Medicare officials, concerned about both the cost of these off-label treatments and, in some cases, their medical effectiveness, say they believe that reimbursement limits would discourage such use.

With well-established off-label treatments that have been shown to be effective in the literature, I would be surprised to see a problem.

Doctors are free to prescribe bevacizumab off label, although insurance companies are less likely to approve off-label treatments.

Once Sutent is on the market, doctors could use it for kidney cancer, though some insurance companies may not pay for off-label treatment.

Several lawsuits are underway after people who had been prescribed gabapentin for off-label treatment of bipolar disorder later attempted or committed suicide.

This applies also for off-label treatments performed before or during their required clinical trials.

Q: How can I get an off-label treatment paid for by my insurance?