Promoting Appropriate Coverage Criteria for Epidural Procedures for Pain Management

On July 2, 2021, on behalf of our members and those of nine other medical societies, IPSIS submitted comment letters to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) who recently proposed revisions to Medicare's epidural procedures coverage criteria.

Letters recommend changes to the proposed policies, including:

• allowing early access to ESIs for patients with severe radicular pain;
• outlining a reasonable repeat injection protocol;
• including an indication for diagnostic spinal nerve blocks;
• suggesting allowance of 3 ESIs per 6 months and 6 ESIs per 12 months, regardless of the number of levels involved;
• correcting steroid dosage recommendations; and
• clarifying that these procedures should not be performed by non-physicians.
  

IPSIS members may click the contractor name to download the letters.

CGS Administrators, LLC 🔒

First Coast Service Options, Inc./Novitas Solutions, Inc. 🔒

National Government Services, Inc. 🔒

Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC 🔒

Palmetto GBA 🔒

WPS Government Health Administrators 🔒

Help sustain this vital advocacy with your donations. The International Pain and Spine Intervention Society (IPSIS) is a tax exempt organization under US section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. As such, contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by law.