Surgical Treatment of Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (7.01.101)
Effective August 1, 2026, Blue Shield of California medical policy 7.01.101 sets criteria for surgical treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and this version makes no change to the policy statement. Palatopharyngoplasty may be considered medically necessary when all of the criteria are met, including a diagnosis of clinically significant OSA and a failed adequate trial of both CPAP and an oral appliance, and hyoid suspension, tongue surgery or maxillofacial surgery also requires objective documentation of hypopharyngeal obstruction. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation may be considered medically necessary for adults 18 or older with an AHI of 15 to 100 and 25% or fewer central apneas, who have failed CPAP or cannot tolerate it, have a BMI of 35 or less, and have no complete concentric collapse at the soft palate level.