Insurers hesitant to cover many proton beam therapy treatments

Everyone seems to agree that proton beam therapy--a type of radiation that can attack cancerous tumors while generally sparing the surrounding tissue--is an exciting technology with a lot of potential. But some insurers and disease experts say that, until there's better evidence that proton therapy is more effective at treating various cancers than traditional types of less expensive radiation, coverage shouldn't be routine. That approach doesn't sit well with proponents, some of whom say that insurance coverage is critical for necessary research of the controversial therapy's uses.