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Hi there: I have been reading the various posts regarding STN and thought I would add my "two cents" worth. As the Administrator of NYU's Movement Disorder Program, I spend a great deal of time dealing with insurance companies. To the lady who needs her battery replaced - has your neurosurgeon bombarded your insurance carrier with letters of medical necessity? We replaced two batteries in a patient who had pallidal stimulators implanted in France - Medicare covered all expenses. My understanding is that insurance carriers will pay for battery replacement regardless of where the electrodes are placed in the brain. I have also found it helpful to threaten insurance carriers with the media. Ask your surgeon's office to contact the public relations department of the Institution they are affiliated with and then make sure your insurance carreir is aware of this (speak to a supervisor). It usually works :) Regarding Bilateral STN following pallidotomy, we have one patient who underwent pallidotomy 5 years ago and had bilateral STN in November. The patient is doing extremely well - she bought a car (because she can now drive) and is presently vacationing in Europe. By the way, many insurance carriers are now paying for bilateral STN. For those who are interested, we have a web page: http://mcns10.med.nyu.edu (click on clinical divisions, then CMD) and finally - on the web page is information regarding an up-coming meeting June 10 -12 "Stereotactic, Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery: Advances and prospects for the New Millenuim" It is for physicians but if any list members who leave near NYC are interested in attending please let me know and I will make arrangements to waive the tuition. We have the "Dream Team" of Movement Disorder specialists speaking, including Lars Augustinsson, Roy Bakay, Alim-Louis Benabid, Mahlon DeLong, Andres Lozano. Patrick Kelly to mention a few. Annie O'Sullivan Ph: (212) 263-1483