Mountain State Medical Policy Bulletin

Section: Visits
Number: V-31
Topic: Medical Care and Associated Services
Effective Date: January 1, 2007
Issued Date: March 6, 2007
Date Last Reviewed: 03/2007

General Policy Guidelines

Indications and Limitations of Coverage

The services on the Text Attachment are considered an integral part of a doctor’s medical care. If any of the services on the Text Attachment are reported on the same day as medical care, and the charges are itemized, combine the charges and pay only the medical care. Payment for the medical care performed on the same date of service includes the allowance for these procedures. A participating, preferred, or network provider cannot bill the member separately for these services in this case.

If any of the services on the Text Attachment are reported independently, process it for payment under the appropriate code.

Modifier 25 may be reported with medical care to identify it as a significant, separately identifiable service from the integral service. When the 25 modifier is reported, the patient’s records must clearly document that separately identifiable medical care has been rendered.

Procedure Codes

158521725020500206902110029130
291312920029220292402926029280
295202953029540295502958029590
315023150535400360003641043752
466005068854235544505715057160
583506543069210871688716991123
921009226092504925119400594760
947619583195832958339583495851
958529587596902990509905199053
990569905899060990919917299173
993399934099354993559935699357
993589935999374993759937799378
9937999380G0179G0180G0181G0182
G0268S0395S9092S9441S9474 

Traditional Guidelines

Refer to General Policy Guidelines

FEP Guidelines

This medical policy may not apply to FEP.  Medical policy is not an authorization, certification, explanation of benefits, or a contract.  Benefits are determined by the Federal Employee Program.

PPO Guidelines

Refer to General Policy Guidelines

Managed Care POS Guidelines

Refer to General Policy Guidelines

Publications

References

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Table Attachment

Text Attachment

Services


  1. Administration of IV Innovar


  2. Amsler Grid Test


  3. Analysis of data from Swan-Ganz Catheterization


  4. Anoscopy without biopsy (46600)


  5. Application of splint (29130-29131)


  6. Application of traction, suspension, or corrective appliance (non-fracture care)


  7. Asthma education, non-physician provider, per session (S9441)


  8. Blood pressure check


  9. Blue field entoptoscopic exam


  10. Breast exam


  11. Brightness Acuity Test


  12. Canalith repositioning procedure (a.k.a., Epley maneuvers, Otolith repositioning)(S9092)


  13. Care plan oversight services (94005, 99339, 99340, 99374-99380)


  14. Catheter site inspection by physician


  15. Changing of tubes


    1. connecting tube


    2. tracheostomy tube


    3. tracheotomy tube (31502)


    4. ureterostomy tube (50688)




  16. Chemical cauterization of granulation tissue (17250)


  17. Collection and interpretation of physiologic data (EG, ECG, blood pressure, glucose monitoring) digitally stored and/or transmitted by the patient and/or caregiver to the physician or other qualified healthcare professional, requiring a minimum of 30 minutes of time (99091) 


  18. Dressing change (for other than burns) under anesthesia (other than local) (15852)


  19. Ear/pulse oximetry (94760, 94761)


  20. Enterostomal therapy (S9474)


  21. Eye tonometry (92100)


  22. Foreskin manipulation including lysis of preputial adhesions and stretching (54450)


  23. Grenz ray therapy


  24. Hydrotubation of oviduct (tubal lavage), including materials (58350)


  25. Impression casting of a foot performed by a practitioner other than the manufacturer of the orthotic (S0395)


  26. Injection of corpora cavernosa with pharmacologic agent(s), e.g., papaverine, phentolamine, etc. (54235)


  27. Insertion of pessary (57160)


  28. Irrigation and/or application of medicament for treatment of bacterial, parasitic, or fungoid disease (57150)


  29. IV therapy for severe or intractable allergic disease in physician's office or institution with theophyllines, corticosteroids, antihistamines (excludes cost of the drug)


  30. Laryngoscopy, indirect/mirror, without biopsy (31505)


  31. Laser interferometry or retinometry


  32. Macroscopic examination of arthropod or parasite (87168, 87169)


  33. Magnified penile surface scanning (penoscopy)


  34. Manual, gross visual fields


  35. Microscopic examination of hairs plucked or clipped by the examiner (excluding hair collected by the patient) to determine telogen and anagen counts, or structural hair shaft abnormality (96902)


  36. Miller-Nadler Glare Test


  37. Muscle testing (95831-95834, 95851-95852, 95875)


  38. Naso- or oro-gastric tube placement, requiring physician's skill (43752)


  39. Nasopharyngolaryngoscopy (indirect)


  40. Nasopharyngoscopy (92511)


  41. Ophthalmodynamometry (92260)


  42. Otoscopy (no removal of foreign body)


  43. Phototherapy (for neonatal jaundice)


  44. Physician certification services for Medicare-covered services provided by a participating home health agency (patient not present)(G0180)


  45. Physician recertification services for Medicare-covered services provided by a participating home health agency (patient not present)(G0179)


  46. Physician supervision of a patient receiving Medicare-approved hospice (patient not present) requiring complex and multidisciplinary care modalities (G0182)


  47. Physician supervision of a patient receiving Medicare-covered services provided by a participating home health agency (patient not present) requiring complex and multidisciplinary care modalities (G0181)


  48. Placement of nasogastric feeding tube


  49. Potential acuity testing (visual)


    1. PAM (potential acuity meter)


    2. Guyton - Minkowski test


    3. visometer or retinometer


    4. macular integrity or electro-laser test




  50. Prolonged services (99354-99359)


  51. Prostatic massage


  52. Pulsed irrigation of fecal impaction (91123)


  53. Removal of cerumen (69210, G0268)


  54. Removal non-contraceptive pellets or capsules (FEP and Special Contracts Only-Noncovered under Standard Contracts)


  55. Rhinoscopy (no removal of foreign body)


  56. Schirmer test


  57. Screening test, visual acuity (99173)


  58. Slit lamp test (biomicroscopy, binocular microscopy and fluorescein staining) (92504)


  59. Special Services (99050-99060)


  60. Starting of an IV (See MPB G-16 for information on starting of an IV under the chemotherapy benefit) (36000)


  61. Stat charges for laboratory services


  62. Strapping of joint, including flexible, gel, and soft casts (29200-29280, 29520-29590)


  63. Telemetry


  64. Tuning fork test


  65. Venipuncture (36410)


  66. Visual function screening, automated or semiautomated (99172)


Procedure Code Attachment


Glossary





This policy is designed to address medical guidelines that are appropriate for the majority of individuals with a particular disease, illness, or condition. Each person's unique clinical circumstances may warrant individual consideration, based on review of applicable medical records.

Medical policies are designed to supplement the terms of a member's contract. The member's contract defines the benefits available; therefore, medical policies should not be construed as overriding specific contract language. In the event of conflict, the contract shall govern.

Medical policies do not constitute medical advice, nor the practice of medicine. Rather, such policies are intended only to establish general guidelines for coverage and reimbursement under Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. Application of a medical policy to determine coverage in an individual instance is not intended and shall not be construed to supercede the professional judgment of a treating provider. In all situations, the treating provider must use his/her professional judgment to provide care he/she believes to be in the best interest of the patient, and the provider and patient remain responsible for all treatment decisions.

Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield (MSBCBS) retains the right to review and update its medical policy guidelines at its sole discretion. These guidelines are the proprietary information of MSBCBS. Any sale, copying or dissemination of the medical policies is prohibited; however, limited copying of medical policies is permitted for individual use.