Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) regularly develops and revises medical policies in response to rapidly changing medical technology. Our commitment is to update the provider community as medical policies are adopted and/or revised. Benefit determinations are made based on the medical policy in effect at the time of service.
The following medical policies were reviewed by the Internal Medical Policy Committee on January 20, 2022. To review our medical policy changes, visit bcbsnd.com under medical policies.
The following medical policies are new:
- Not applicable this month.
The following medical policies were revised:
The following medical policies are consent policies:
The following medical policies had coding changes:
Please note this is not an all-encompassing list. Some policies with new codes for January 1, 2022 were addressed in the November 2021 HCN. CMS continues to send updates.
- Endobronchial Valve Surgery
- Telehealth
- Ablation of Miscellaneous Solid Tumors
- Title change; was “Radiofrequency Ablation of Miscellaneous Solid Tumors Excluding Liver Tumors”
- Added procedure codes from policy S-158 into this policy
- Drug Testing
- Removed 0006U (it is a deleted code)
- WATS3D Biopsy (EndoCDx)
- Recombinant and Autologous Platelet-Derived Growth Factors for Wound Healing and Other Non–Orthopedic Conditions
- Added G0465 as a new code for January 1, 2022
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS)
- Added 61736 and 61737 as new codes
- Coronary Revascularization
- Removed codes effective January 1, 2022: 93530, 93531, 93532, 93533
- Added new codes effective January 1, 2022: 93593, 93594, 93595, 93596, 93597, 93598
- Lumbar Spinal Fusion
- Added two new codes: 63052 and 63053 effective January 1,2022
- Also added C1831
- Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators
- Added codes: 0674T, 0675T, 0676T,0677T, 0678T, 0679T, 0680T, 0681T, 0682T, 0683T, 0684T, 0685T
- Bone Mineral Density Studies
- Effective January 1, 2022, added new codes: 77089, 77090, 77091, 77092
- Also added codes: 0508T, 0554T, 0555T, 0556T, 0557T, 0558T
- Bariatric Surgery
- Added codes 43659 and 44238
- Allergy Skin Testing
- Measurement of Exhaled Nitric Oxide
- Updated Dx codes for 95012, covered Dx codes
- Experimental/Investigational Services
- For January 1, 2022, removed and added multiple codes. Please see bottom of policy for specifics.
The following medical policies are being archived: