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Excellus BlueCross BlueShieldAll Plans · Coverage · Transplants · Transplant Surgery, Gastroenterology, PediatricsMedium impact

Small Bowel and Multivisceral Transplants in Adults and Children 7.02.05

Effective date
Mar 19, 2026
Identified
Jun 20, 2026

Summary

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield policy 07.02.05 covers small bowel (SB) transplant in pediatric and adult patients with short bowel syndrome for listed indications. These include impending or overt liver failure from TPN-induced liver injury, thrombosis of two or more central veins, two or more hospitalized episodes per year of line-related systemic sepsis, a single episode of line-related fungemia, septic shock or acute respiratory distress syndrome, and frequent episodes of severe dehydration despite IV fluids plus TPN. Multivisceral transplant is considered medically appropriate in pediatric and adult patients with intestinal failure and concurrent liver failure. SB transplant for patients with intestinal failure who can tolerate TPN, and SB transplant using live donor tissue, are considered investigational. Candidates must also meet listed criteria for cardiopulmonary status, absence of active infection, absence of malignancy, and documented compliance with medical management.

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What to do

Action · 4 steps
01Already effective March 19, 2026: Pre-transplant evaluation documentation should include confirmation of diagnosis, identification and current assessment of comorbidities, their management, performance status, CBC and metabolic profile, CMV, hepatitis B and C serologies, HIV testing, cardiac assessment, pulmonary assessment, and age-appropriate screening.
02If testing cannot be performed, the rationale for not performing it should be included in the documentation.
03Billing team should check that living donor intestinal transplant CPT 44136 is handled as E/I (experimental/investigational), since the code list marks it that way.
04Codes may not be covered under all circumstances, and services are contract dependent, so billing team should confirm each plan covers the service before billing transplant codes 44135, 44136, 44137, 47135, S2053 and S2054.

Codes mentioned

44120441214412544135441364413747135S2053S2054K72.10K72.11K72.90K72.91K91.2

Original notice

Small Bowel and Multivisceral Transplants in Adults and Children 7.02.05
excellusbcbs.com · Always check the source before changing claims.
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