Medical Policy and Coding Updates
We regularly review policies to make sure they’re consistent with the latest medical evidence.
We regularly review policies to make sure they’re consistent with the latest medical evidence.
View previous medical policies and coding updates
December 5, 2024 – Provider News – LifeWise Washington
The Plan will review Avodart (dutasteride), Chewtadzy (tadalafil), Flomax (tamsulosin), and Tezruly (terazosin) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia when criteria are met. See policy Pharmacologic Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, 5.01.545, in the revised pharmacy policies section.
Surgical Treatments for Lymphedema and Lipedema, 7.01.567 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria added
Investigational criteria added
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Analogs, 5.01.625 Individual | Group
Drug added
Medical necessity criteria updated
Investigational criteria added
Medical Necessity Criteria for Pharmacy Edits, 5.01.605 Individual | Group
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Miscellaneous Oncology Drugs, 5.01.540 Individual | Group
Drugs/medical necessity criteria added
Advanced Therapies for Pharmacological Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, 5.01.522 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitor, 5.01.624 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Dupixent (dupilumab), 5.01.575 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Herceptin (trastuzumab) and Other HER2 Inhibitors, 5.01.514 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
IL-5 Inhibitors, 5.01.559 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Monoclonal Antibodies for the Treatment of Lymphoma, 2.03.502 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacologic Treatment in Assisted Reproduction, 5.01.610 Individual | Group
Drugs/medical necessity criteria added
Pharmacological Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, 5.01.565 Individual | Group
Policy reformatted
Drugs/medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacologic Treatment of Psoriasis, 5.01.629 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacotherapy of Arthropathies, 5.01.550 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacotherapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, 5.01.563 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria added
Pharmacotherapy of Miscellaneous Autoimmune Disorders, 5.01.564 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Rituxan (rituximab): Non-oncologic and Miscellaneous, 5.01.556 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Shoulder Arthroplasty, 7.01.590 Individual | Group
New policy
Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) Inhibitors, 5.01.627 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Use of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor (VEGF) Inhibitors and Other Angiogenesis Inhibitors in Oncology Treatment, 5.01.517 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Xolair (omalizumab), 5.01.513 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacotherapy of Arthropathies, 5.01.550 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacotherapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, 5.01.563 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacotherapy of Miscellaneous Autoimmune Diseases, 5.01.564 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacotherapy of Multiple Sclerosis, 5.01.565 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Services Reviewed Using InterQual Criteria, 10.01.530 Individual | Group
Services added
Durable Medical Equipment
Procedures
Site of Service: Infusion Drugs and Biologic Agents, 11.01.523 Individual | Group
Drugs added
No updates this month.
Electrical Stimulation Devices, 1.01.507 Individual | Group
Investigational criteria added
Postsurgical Outpatient Use of Limb Compression Devices for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis, 1.01.525 Individual | Group
Policy reformatted; policy intent unchanged
No updates this month.
Multiple Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors, 5.01.534 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Prostate Cancer Targeted therapy, 5.01.544 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Tadalafil Products for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, 5.01.545 Individual | Group
Title Changed
Drugs/medical necessity criteria added
Medical necessity criteria updated
Use of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors (G-CSF), 5.01.551 Individual | Group
Drugs added
Pharmacotherapy of Multiple Sclerosis, 5.01.565 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria added
BRAF and MEK Inhibitors, 5.01.589 Individual | Group
Drug/medical necessity criteria updated
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Inhibitors, 5.01.603 Individual | Group
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Drug/medical necessity criteria updated
Continuity of Coverage for Maintenance Medications, 5.01.607 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria added
Drugs for Weight Management, 5.01.621 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria added/updated
Pharmacologic Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis, 5.01.628 Individual | Group
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Pharmacologic Treatment of Psoriasis, 5.01.629 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Pharmacologic Treatment of Alopecia, 5.01.637 Individual | Group
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Immune Globulin Therapy, 8.01.503 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Medical necessity criteria removed
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
Cervical Spine Surgeries: Discectomy, Laminectomy, and Fusion in Adults, 7.01.560 Individual | Group
Now requires review for medical necessity, including site of service and prior authorization.
63001, 63015, 63040, 63050, 63051, 63075, 63081, 63265
Pharmacotherapy of Multiple Sclerosis, 5.01.565 Individual | Group
Now
requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
J1826, J1830, Q3027, Q3028
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, 2.01.505 Individual | Group
Now
requires review for investigational.
E0446
Non-covered Services and Procedures, 10.01.517 Individual | Group
No
longer covered.
M0224, M0249, M0250, Q0224, Q0249
Site of Service: Infusion Drugs and Biologic Agents, 11.01.523 Individual | Group
No longer requires review for site of service. Review for medical necessity and prior authorization still required.
J1599, J1747, J3247, Q5133, Q5134
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, 2.01.505 Individual | Group
No
longer requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization. Now requires review for investigational.
A4575
Surgical Treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement, 7.01.592 Individual | Group
No
longer requires review.
29916
Therapeutic Radiopharmaceuticals in Oncology, 6.01.525 Individual | Group
No
longer requires review.
A9590
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
Services Reviewed Using InterQual Criteria, 10.01.530 Individual
Services added
Durable Medical Equipment
Procedures
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
Non-covered Experimental/Investigational Services, 10.01.533 Individual
Now requires review for investigational.
92972
Services Reviewed Using InterQual Criteria, 10.01.530 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
23430, 25447, 26055, 27427, 28297, 29806, 29807, 29822, 29827, 29828, 29916, 30140, 30520, 33249, 38525, 45378, 45380, 45381, 45385, 45388, 45390, 45398, 49650, 55866, 57425, 58558, 58661, 58662, 64718, 93653, 95716, E0465, E0784
Biofeedback for Incontinence, 2.01.540 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
90901, 90912, 90913
Continuous Home Pulse Oximetry, 1.01.533 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
A4606, E0445
Endometrial Ablation, 7.01.578 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
58353, 58356, 58563
External Counterpulsation Therapy, 2.02.514 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
G0166
Eye-Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography, 9.03.509 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
92132
Fundus Photography, 9.03.507 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
92250
Glaucoma, Invasive Procedures, 9.03.510 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
66174, 66175, 66183
High-Resolution Anoscopy, 2.01.539 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
46601, 46607
Home Apnea Monitoring, 1.01.534 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
94774, 94775, 94776, 94777
Home Prothrombin Time/International Normalized Ratio (PT/INR) Monitoring, 1.01.536 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity
and prior authorization.
93792, 93793, G0248, G0249, G0250
Laryngeal Injection for Vocal Cord Augmentation, 2.01.541 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
31513, 31570, 31571, 31573, 31574
Noninvasive Tests for Hepatic Fibrosis, 2.01.536 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
76981, 76982, 76983
Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulators, 7.01.579 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
64566
Presbyopia Correcting Intraocular Lenses (PIOLs) and Astigmatism Correcting Intraocular Lenses (ACIOLs), 9.03.511 Individual
Now requires
review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
66982, 66983, 66984, V2630, V2631, V2632
Rabies Vaccine, Home Setting, 9.01.508 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
90375, 90376, 90377, 90675, 90676
Services Reviewed Using InterQual Criteria, 10.01.530 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
34701, 34702, 34703, 34704, 34705, 34706, 34707, 34708, 34709, 34710, 34711, 34712, 34713, 34714, 34715, 34716, 34808, 34812, 34813, 34820, 34833, 34834, 34841, 34842, 34843, 34844, 34845, 34846, 34847, 34848, 58720, 58940, A4633, E0424, E0431, E0433, E0434, E0439, E0441, E0442, E0443, E0444, E1390, E1391, E1392, E1405, E1406, K0378
Supervised Exercise Therapy for Peripheral Artery Disease, 8.01.537 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
93668
Ultraviolet B Light Therapy in the Home to Treat Skin Conditions, 2.01.542 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior
authorization.
E0691, E0692, E0693, E0694
Visual Evoked Response Test, 9.03.512 Individual
Now requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
95930