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Cancer survivor wants more hospitals, insurers to offer hair loss treatment
A breast cancer survivor wants more insurance companies and hospitals to embrace a new treatment to prevent hair loss.
MILWAUKEE - Laurie Loomis used to visit the hairdresser every month.
"(My hair) is part of my identity and part of my life," said Loomis. "Touch-ups, trims, straightening, everything."
Laurie Loomis
Loomis says she admires women who shave their head during chemotherapy. However, when it came to shaving her own hair, she "just couldn't do it."
As an alternative, Loomis tried a relatively new treatment called cold capping.
Scalp treatment
What we know:
The system's manufacturer, Paxman Scalp Cooling, says its treatment uses liquid coolant to lower the scalp's temperature. Paxman says its cap restricts blood flow which prevents chemo drugs from damaging hair follicles.
Loomis says without it, she "would have lost everything." She estimates she still lost about 40% of her hair.
The backstory:
Loomis is happy with the treatment. She wrote to Contact 6 because she was unhappy with her bill.
"It should not just be something for rich women," said Loomis.
Loomis has a Group Medicare Advantage Plan (PPO) through UnitedHealthcare (UHC). She says customer service told her before treatment that her plan did cover cold-capping.
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Months later, she got a bill from Paxman for nearly $1,880. Loomis says when she submitted it to her insurance for reimbursement, the claim wasn't approved.
Laurie Loomis
Loomis spoke with a UHC representative and says she was told, "we don't know what you're talking about. Cold capping is not covered."
In March, Contact 6 reached out to UHC on Loomis' behalf for the first time.
Loomis also submitted a grievance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. A UHC Medicare Case Manager sent Loomis a letter saying an appeals coordinator was assigned to her case.
Laurie Loomis
Loomis says Sen. Tammy Baldwin's office also sent a letter about her denial.
Medical billing codes
What they're saying:
Paxman's vice president, Karin Buck, says not all insurance companies have adopted their medical billing codes yet.
Bucks says even among hospitals that offer cold capping; many still don't bill insurance providers for the treatment. Instead, the hospitals bill the patient directly.
Karin Buck
Patients must then ask their insurers for reimbursement.
However, Buck is optimistic that more insurers and hospitals will embrace the treatment. Within the last 9 years, Paxman scalp-cooling has secured FDA approval, a recommendation from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and official codes for medical billing.
"It just paves the way for every one of our partners to bill the patient's insurance," said Buck.
Limited places to get treatment
Dig deeper:
According to coldcap.com, limited Southeast Wisconsin Hospitals offer the treatment. Loomis received it at Froedert Hospital. Froedtert did not respond to a request for comment.
UW Health also offers Paxman scalp cooling. A spokesperson tells Contact 6 that many of its patients are interested. About 70 UW Health patients have received scalp-cooling treatment since July 1, 2025, at University Hospital and the Eastpark Medical Center.
UW Health's patients typically pay Paxman directly.
Patients can be of any gender to receive treatment.
Big picture view:
According to Paxman, three states have passed laws requiring some form of insurance coverage for scalp cooling systems during chemo. New York and Louisiana's mandates for insurance coverage went into effect in January 2026. West Virginia's bill takes effect in January 2027.
Ten other states have pursued similar laws. Wisconsin is not among them.
Timeline:
The Paxman scalp cooling system was developed in England. The first U.S. patient received the treatment in 2017.
Buck says that systems made by Paxman and its sister company, Dignicap, are now in upwards of 1000 hospitals across the country,
What's next:
In April, UHC sent Laurie a check for the cold-capping treatment.
A UHC spokesperson said in an email, "we looked into this and confirmed cold-capping is covered by Ms. Loomis' plan. It appears the hospital billed Ms. Loomis instead of sending us a claim - she has been reimbursed in full."
Loomis sent Contact 6 a message saying, "You sincerely made a big difference!"
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Loomis says trying to discuss her insurance coverage between chemotherapy visits was exhausting. She hopes other people are spared from similar stress.
"I think it should be covered for everybody," said Loomis. "Not just Medicare patients."
The UHC spokesperson says that cold-capping coverage is not limited to its Medicare Advantage plans.
The Source: Information for this report comes from Laurie Loomis, bills and letters provided by Loomis to Contact 6, Paxman's website, NCCN, Karin Buck, UHC and UW Health.