Treatment for Skin Conditions Page 1 of 17
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Version 2.0 Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC Policy Number CMS16.02 Medical Policy Effective Date 08/02/2021 Medical Policy Review Date 05/18/2021 Subject Revision Date 05/18/2021 Treatment for Skin Conditions Page 1 of 17 This document applies to the following Participating Organizations: EHP Johns Hopkins Advantage MD Priority Partners US Family Health Plan Keywords: Laser treatment, Phototherapy, Psoralens and ultraviolet A (PUVA), Skin conditions Table of Contents Page Number I. ACTION 1 II. POLICY DISCLAIMER 1 III. POLICY 1 IV. POLICY CRITERIA 2 V. DEFINITIONS 6 VI. BACKGROUND 7 VII. CODING DISCLAIMER 8 VIII. CODING INFORMATION 9 IX. REFERENCES 13 X. REFERENCE STATEMENT 17 XI. APPROVALS 17 I. ACTION New Policy X Revising Policy Number CMS16.02 & CMS01.04 Superseding Policy Number Archiving Policy Number Retiring Policy Number II. POLICY DISCLAIMER Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC (JHHC) provides a full spectrum of health care products and services for Employer Health Programs, Priority Partners, Advantage MD and US Family Health Plan. Each line of business possesses its own unique contract and guidelines which, for benefit and payment purposes, should be consulted first to know what benefits are available for coverage. Specific contract benefits, guidelines or policies supersede the information outlined in this policy. III. POLICY For Advantage MD refer to: Medicare Coverage Database • Local Coverage Determination (LCD) L34938 Removal of Benign Skin Lesions • Local Coverage Article: Billing and Coding: A57113 Removal of Benign Skin Lesions • Local Coverage Determination (LCD) L35090 Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery © Copyright 2021 by The Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation and/or The Johns Hopkins University Version 2.0 Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC Policy Number CMS16.02 Medical Policy Effective Date 08/02/2021 Medical Policy Review Date 05/18/2021 Subject Revision Date 05/18/2021 Treatment for Skin Conditions Page 2 of 17 • National Coverage Determination (NCD) 250.4 Treatment of Actinic Keratosis • National Coverage Determination (NCD) 250.1 Treatment of Psoriasis For Employer Health Programs (EHP) refer to: • Plan specific Summary Plan Descriptions (SPD's) For Priority Partners (PPMCO) refer to: Code of Maryland Regulations • No specific information located in COMAR 10.67.01 – 10.67.13 (Accessed 4/7/2021) For US Family Health Plan refer to: TRICARE Policy Manuals • TRICARE Policy Manual 6010.60-M, April 1, 2015, Chapter 4, Section 2.1 Cosmetic, Reconstructive, and Plastic Surgery-General Guidelines • TRICARE Policy Manual 6010.60-M, April 1, 2015, Chapter 7, Section 17.1 Dermatological Procedures-General • TRICARE Policy Manual 6010.60-M, April 1, 2015, Chapter 4, Section 3.1 Laser Surgery IV. POLICY CRITERIA A. Laser Treatments 1. When benefits are provided under the member's contract, JHHC considers laser treatment of select skin conditions medically necessary when ALL of the following criteria are met: a. Standard medical therapy has been optimized for a minimum of three months (as confirmed through review of pharmacy claims and medical records), AND; b. There is a confirmed diagnosis of: i. Localized plaque psoriasis affecting <10% of total body surface area. • For the treatment of plaque psoriasis the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, or other objective response measurement to document treatment efficacy is required (Refer to Definitions). ii. Port wine stains and other vascular (malformations) of the face and neck. iii. Vitiligo of the face and hands iv. Symptomatic scarring resulting from a therapeutic intervention (example: surgery), disease or trauma. (see CMS03.12, Cosmetic and Reconstructive Services); v. Treatment of vascular lesions when resulting from a complication of medical condition (e.g.,. scleroderma, surgical scarring or when affecting a vital structure, associated with recurrent bleeding, painful nodules, or functional impairment; vi. Hidradenitis refractory to all medical treatment as reported in medical records; vii. Hair growth in undesirable locations on skin graft or flap; viii. Targeted permanent removal of ingrown hairs may be considered medically necessary when the condition is recurrent and is causing symptomatic (e.g., infected, painful, tender) cysts or skin lesions such as pilonidal cysts and pseudofolliculitis barbae. Medical documentation is required to determine medical necessity. © Copyright 2021 by The Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation and/or The Johns Hopkins University Version 2.0 Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC Policy Number CMS16.02 Medical Policy Effective Date 08/02/2021 Medical Policy Review Date 05/18/2021 Subject Revision Date 05/18/2021 Treatment for Skin Conditions Page 3 of 17 c. Unless specific benefits are provided under the member’s contract, JHHC considers ultra-violet B (UVB) in conjunction with pulsed dye laser in the treatment of plaque psoriasis experimental and investigational as it does not meet Technology Evaluation Criteria (TEC). d. Unless specific benefits are provided under the member’s contract, JHHC considers laser treatment cosmetic for all other conditions including, but not limited to the following: i. Acne scarring; ii. Dyschromia; iii. Hair removal, (except when medically indicated, e.g., hidradenitis, hair in undesirable location on skin graft or flap); iv. Tattoo removal; v. Removal of spider angioma, (except as above when medically indicated, e.g., treatment of vascular lesions when a complication of medical condition (e.g., scleroderma, surgical scarring)); vi. Removal of telangiectasias; vii. Rosacea; viii. Improving or reducing wrinkles; ix. Regenerating skin collagen; x. Reducing sun-damaged or aging skin e. Unless specific benefits are provided under the member’s contract, JHHC considers laser treatment experimental and investigational for all other indications, as it does not meet Technology Evaluation Criteria (TEC). B. Phototherapy Treatments 1. When benefits are provided under the member’s contract JHHC considers phototherapy for skin conditions medically necessary when All the following general conditions are met: a. The goal of therapy is not primarily cosmetic, defined as carried out with the primary intent to change or improve appearance in the absence of specific functional deficit(s), AND; b. Therapy has a defined and measurable end-point, (or if continued improvement is documented, treatment may be considered indefinitely in order to maintain such improvement, as noted below), c. A maximum of 3 treatments per week for 2 months may be considered on initial request. AND; i. If no improvement is documented within the first 2 months of treatment, additional treatments are not considered medically necessary. ii. If improvement is documented in the medical record, up to 3 treatments per week may be considered for an additional 4 months. iii. If continued improvement is documented, and/or maintenance of improvement is documented, up to 2 treatments a week may be considered indefinitely d. Therapy is discontinued when the end-point is reached or there is limited or no measurable response to treatment. e. The specific phototherapy type criteria in 2 or 3 below are met. 2. Psoralens and Ultraviolet A (PUVA): a. When benefits are provided under the member's contract, JHHC considers psoralens and ultraviolet A (PUVA) treatments medically necessary for the following conditions when medical records demonstrate that conventional therapies have been optimized and failed: i. Vitiligo © Copyright 2021 by The Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation and/or The Johns Hopkins University Version 2.0 Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC Policy Number CMS16.02 Medical Policy Effective Date 08/02/2021 Medical Policy Review Date 05/18/2021 Subject Revision Date 05/18/2021 Treatment for Skin Conditions Page 4 of 17 ii. Moderate to severe psoriasis (i.e., psoriasis involving 7% or more of the body, or severe psoriasis involving the hands, feet or scalp); iii. Urticaria pigmentosa (cutaneous mastocytosis); iv. Pruritus of polycythemia vera; v. Chronic eczematous dermatitis including atopic dermatitis vi. Parapsoriasis; vii. Lichen planus; viii. Pityriasis lichenoides; ix. Photodermatoses; x. Necrobiosis lipoidica; xi. Morphea and localized skin lesions associated with scleroderma and systemic sclerosis xii. Granuloma annulare; xiii. Eosinophilic folliculitis and other pruritic eruptions of HIV infection; xiv. Cutaneous manifestations of graft versus host disease; xv. Mycosis fungoides including lymphomatoid papulosis; xvi. Chronic palmoplantar pustulosis; xvii. Alopecia areata; xviii.Pruritus of renal disease xix. Pityriasis rubra pilaris xx. Lymphomatoid papulosis b. Unless specific benefits are provided under the member's contract, JHHC considers Home PUVA and/ or PUVA treatment experimental and investigational for all other medical diagnoses, as it does not meet Technology Evaluation Criteria (TEC). 3. UVA, UVA1 and UVB to include narrowband UVB: a. When benefits are provided under the member's contract, JHHC considers UVA or UVB medically necessary for the following conditions when medical records demonstrate that conventional therapies have been optimized and failed: i. Mycosis fungoides including lymphomatoid papulosis ii. Chronic eczematous dermatitis including atopic dermatitis; iii. Vitiligo iv. Moderate to severe psoriasis(i.e., psoriasis involving 7% or more of the body, or severe psoriasis involving the hands, feet or scalp); v. Prurigo nodularis; vi. Pityriasis rosea; vii. Pityriasis lichenoides; viii. Photodermatoses; ix. Parapsoriasis;