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
November 7, 2024 – Provider News – LifeWise Washington
The Plan will review Tremfya (guselkumab) for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. See policy Pharmacotherapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, in the revised pharmacy policies section.
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 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
Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitors, 5.01.624 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Site of Service: Infusion Drugs and Biologic Agents, 11.01.523 Individual | Group
Drugs added
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
Drugs for Rare Diseases, 5.01.576 Individual | Group
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Medical necessity criteria updated
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, 5.01.591 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria added
Medical Necessity Criteria for Pharmacy Edits, 5.01.605 Individual | Group
Drugs added
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Medical necessity criteria updated
Miscellaneous Oncology Drugs, 5.01.540 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Pharmacologic Treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, 5.01.570 Individual | Group
Medical necessity criteria updated
Investigational criteria updated
Pharmacotherapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, 5.01.563 Individual | Group
Drug/medical necessity criteria added
Pharmacotherapy of Type I and Type II Diabetes Mellitus, 5.01.569 Individual | Group
Drug added
Spravato (esketamine) Nasal Spray, 5.01.609 Individual | Group
Investigational criteria updated
No updates this month.
No updates this month.
Amyloid Antibodies for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease, 5.01.626 Individual | Group
Now
requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
J0175
Knee Arthroplasty in Adults, 7.01.550 Individual | Group
Now
requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
27440, 27442, 27443, 27445
Pharmacotherapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, 5.01.563 Individual | Group
Now
requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
J1628
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators and Down Regulators, 5.01.618 Individual | Group
Now
requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
J9395
Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitors, 5.01.624 Individual | Group
Now
requires review for site of service. Currently requires review for medical necessity and prior authorization.
J0256, J0257
No updates this month.
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.
No updates this month.
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