CommercialCoverageHigh impact
Arthroscopic Debridement and Lavage as Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi·MS · Orthopedics, Sports Medicine·Medical Policy
We identified it
Jun 20, 2026
Summary
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi has updated their policy to explicitly state that arthroscopic debridement and/or lavage are considered NOT medically necessary for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. These procedures may only be considered medically necessary when specific anatomic lesions other than osteoarthritis (like large meniscal tears or loose bodies) are the cause of symptoms.
Action Required
Immediately: Billing team must review all pending and future claims for CPT codes 29874 and 29877 when performed for osteoarthritis of the knee. Ensure proper documentation shows specific anatomic lesions (large meniscal tears, loose bodies) other than osteoarthritis as the primary indication. Claims for these procedures with osteoarthritis as the sole indication will likely be denied as not medically necessary.