Corneal Crosslinking Reimbursement<br>In Its Tenth Year - Takeaways - MDSpire

Corneal Crosslinking Reimbursement<br>In Its Tenth Year

Providing crosslinking procedures in an ophthalmology practice is not for the faint of heart. Ultimately, despite its clinical importance, offering crosslinking remains financially challenging for many practices.

  • By

  • Laurie Brown, MBA, COMT, COE, CPC, CPMA, LSSYB

  • Brittney Irwin, COT, CPC, CEP

  • January 1, 2026

  • 5 min

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  • 1

    Corneal crosslinking is a key intervention for progressive keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia, approved by the FDA since 2013.

  • 2

    The epi-on procedure, recently approved by the FDA, offers a non-invasive option but lacks payer coverage due to its experimental status.

  • 3

    Rising costs of the riboflavin drug Photrexa and inconsistent reimbursement create financial challenges for practices offering crosslinking.

  • 4

    Despite most payers covering the epi-off procedure, it remains a Category III CPT code, complicating reimbursement and documentation.

  • 5

    Without improved payer support, access to corneal crosslinking may decline, potentially shifting care to higher-cost academic centers.

Original Source(s)

Corneal Crosslinking Reimbursement<br>In Its Tenth Year

  • by Laurie Brown, MBA, COMT, COE, CPC, CPMA, LSSYB, Brittney Irwin, COT, CPC, CEP

  • January 1, 2026

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