Medical Policy and Coding Updates - January 2024
Effective April 14, 2024, Carelon Radiation Therapy Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines add intensity-modulated radiation therapy for the adjuvant treatment of locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the cecum, add stereotactic body radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma, and adjust external beam radiation or IMRT for prostate cancer to 2 Gy fractions. Effective April 14, 2024, Carelon Advanced Imaging Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines add several indications, including annual surveillance in Caroli disease and syndrome, MRI for suspected pelvic organ prolapse, and chest CT for planning biopsy or fiducial marker placement with navigational bronchoscopy, and remove routine preoperative FDG-PET/CT for biliary tract cancers. Effective January 1, 2024, Premera HMO added a High-Risk Conditions (Oral Health) Dental Benefit policy 10.01.535, and removed criteria for Applied Behavior Analysis that are no longer used for medical necessity or coverage determinations.