I70.201 Insurance Policy Changes

ICD-10 I70.201 is officially defined as "Unspecified atherosclerosis of native arteries of extremities, right leg." code I70.201 is referenced in 6 tracked payer policy changes from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and Aetna. For billers and coders, staying current on payer-specific coverage criteria, reimbursement rules, and prior-authorization requirements for code I70.201 is critical to clean claim submission. Each entry below links to the full policy analysis with effective dates and action steps.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi · Effective Apr 1, 2026Medium impact
Percutaneous Revascularization Procedures for Lower Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease
Percutaneous revascularization using balloon angioplasty, stent procedures, or atherectomy for chronic symptomatic lower extremity peripheral arterial disease may be considered medically necessary when functionally limiting claudication is present, there is an inadequate response to guideline-directed management and therapy including structured exercise, and the potential benefits outweigh the risks and durability of the intervention. These same procedures may also be considered medically necessary for chronic limb-threatening ischemia and for acute limb ischemia, and percutaneous revascularization using lithotripsy is considered investigational in all situations. CPT codes 37220 through 37235 are marked deleted as of 12/31/2025, and CPT codes 37254 through 37299 are marked new as of 01/01/2026.
Aetna · Identified Oct 5, 2026Medium impact
Total Ankle Arthroplasty (CPB 0645, reviewed 2026-09-14)
Aetna's Clinical Policy Bulletin 0645 covers total ankle arthroplasty with an FDA-cleared implant for severe ankle arthritis when a set of criteria is met, including at least 6 months of documented conservative care with in-person physical therapy, and covers revision for a failed prosthesis. It treats custom implants, trans-fibular replacement, total talar replacement and intraoperative infection frozen-section analysis as experimental. The source shows a review date of 2026-09-14 but states no effective date, and this is an older source first detected by PolicyChanges on 2026-10-05, so treat it as historical material.
Aetna · Identified Aug 19, 2026Medium impact
Intravascular Ultrasound (CPB 0382, reviewed 2026-05-26)
Aetna's clinical policy bulletin 0382 treats intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) as medically necessary when a symptomatic member's angiogram shows 50 to 70% stenosis before an intracoronary procedure, when suspected left main coronary disease is not shown by angiography, for guidance of vena caval filter placement, for guiding and immediately assessing coronary or graft interventions, for evaluating cardiac allograft vasculopathy after heart transplant, for diagnosing and following treatment of iliac vein compression (May-Thurner) syndrome, for type B aortic dissection treated with thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair when CT is poor quality or inconclusive, and for infra-inguinal arterial disease when CO2 angiography is used because standard contrast angiography is not possible. IVUS is considered experimental, investigational, or unproven for coronary artery disease screening, for virtual histology plaque evaluation, and for other indications including carotid artery stenosis evaluation, guidance of percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy for pulmonary embolism, chronic venous obstruction stenting, and stenting of non-coronary arteries.
Aetna · Identified Aug 19, 2026Medium impact
Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices (CPB 0500, reviewed 2026-07-10)
Aetna considers full-leg or half-leg home-use pneumatic compression devices medically necessary durable medical equipment for chronic venous insufficiency of the legs in members with venous stasis ulcers that have failed to heal after a 6-month trial of conservative therapy directed by the treating physician. Intermittent pneumatic compression devices for the lower extremities are considered medically necessary for members who are bedridden due to trauma, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery or other circumstances preventing ambulation, and a single patient use device is considered not medically necessary. Aetna lists other uses as experimental, investigational or unproven, including treatment of critical limb ischemia, intermittent claudication, post-thrombotic syndrome, restless legs syndrome and intra-operative compression for reduction of venous thromboembolism in craniotomy.
Aetna · Identified Aug 18, 2026Medium impact
Thrombectomy Systems (CPB 0568, reviewed 2025-08-26)
Aetna considers the AngioJet Rheolytic Thrombectomy System medically necessary for removing fresh blood clots from arteriovenous fistulas used for hemodialysis, from coronary arteries or coronary bypass grafts at least 2.0 mm in diameter before angioplasty or stent placement, from infra-inguinal peripheral arteries at least 2.0 mm in diameter, and in individuals with lower extremity deep vein thrombosis who have failed pharmacologic thrombolysis or in whom pharmacologic thrombolysis is contraindicated. Thrombectomy systems are considered experimental, investigational or unproven for acute aortic occlusion, acute renal artery thrombosis, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, inferior vena cava filter-related thrombosis, May-Thurner syndrome-related deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and thrombosis of the native aortic valve and of the left ventricular assist device in heart failure. The ClotHunter for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis and mechanical thrombectomy or thrombo-aspiration for acute ilio-femoral deep vein thrombosis are also considered experimental, investigational or unproven.
Aetna · Identified Aug 13, 2026Medium impact
Peripheral Atherectomy and Thrombectomy Devices (CPB 0295, reviewed 2026-04-16)
Aetna considers peripheral atherectomy of the renal artery, visceral artery, abdominal aorta, and brachiocephalic trunk and branches experimental, investigational, or unproven because its effectiveness has not been established. The same classification applies to the BYCROSS atherectomy device for peripheral arterial disease, intravascular shockwave lithotripsy for the listed peripheral arteries, celiac artery occlusion and renal artery stenosis, and isolated segmental pharmaco-mechanical thrombolysis (Trellis Peripheral Infusion System) for deep venous thrombosis, Paget-Schroetter syndrome, and other indications. Endovascular revascularization codes CPT 37220 through 37247 and 37254 through 37299 and drug-coated balloon catheter code HCPCS C2623 are covered when selection criteria are met, and medical necessity criteria for peripheral atherectomy are set in the EviCore Healthcare Peripheral Vascular Intervention Clinical Guidelines.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What insurance policy changes affect code I70.201?

There are 6 tracked policy changes affecting code I70.201, including updates from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, Aetna. Each change may modify coverage criteria, reimbursement rates, or prior-authorization requirements.

Which payers have updated policy for code I70.201?

Payers that have issued tracked updates for code I70.201 include: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, Aetna.

How do I get notified when code I70.201 policy changes?

Create a free account at PolicyChanges.app and save a search filtered to code I70.201. You will get an email when new policy changes reference this code: daily or weekly, your choice, on every plan.

Why do payers change policies for code I70.201?

Payers revise policies for individual billing codes to align with updated clinical guidelines, CMS rule changes, fraud and abuse prevention measures, or network cost-management goals. Changes can affect medical necessity criteria, place-of-service restrictions, bundling rules, or whether a code requires prior authorization.

All billing codes J3590 C9399 J3490 99215 99213 99202

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Percutaneous Revascularization Procedures for Lower Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease

Total Ankle Arthroplasty (CPB 0645, reviewed 2026-09-14)

Intravascular Ultrasound (CPB 0382, reviewed 2026-05-26)

Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices (CPB 0500, reviewed 2026-07-10)

Thrombectomy Systems (CPB 0568, reviewed 2025-08-26)

Peripheral Atherectomy and Thrombectomy Devices (CPB 0295, reviewed 2026-04-16)

What insurance policy changes affect code I70.201?

Which payers have updated policy for code I70.201?

How do I get notified when code I70.201 policy changes?

Why do payers change policies for code I70.201?