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Clinical Payment Policies | Ambetter from Magnolia Health
Clinical & Payment Policies
Clinical Policies
Clinical policies are one set of guidelines used to assist in administering health plan benefits, either by prior authorization or payment rules. They include but are not limited to policies relating to evolving medical technologies and procedures, as well as pharmacy policies. Clinical policies help identify whether services are medically necessary based on information found in generally accepted standards of medical practice; peer-reviewed medical literature; government agency/program approval status; evidence-based guidelines and positions of leading national health professional organizations; views of physicians practicing in relevant clinical areas affected by the policy; and other available clinical information.
All policies found in the Magnolia Health Clinical Policy Manual apply to Magnolia Health members. Policies in the Magnolia Health Clinical Policy Manual may have either a Magnolia Health or a “Centene” heading. Magnolia Health utilizes InterQual® criteria for those medical technologies, procedures or pharmaceutical treatments for which a Magnolia Health clinical policy does not exist. InterQual is a nationally recognized evidence-based decision support tool. You may access the InterQual® SmartSheet(s)™ for Adult and Pediatric procedures, durable medical equipment and imaging procedures by logging into the secure provider portal or by calling Magnolia Health. In addition, Magnolia Health may from time to time delegate utilization management of specific services; in such circumstances, the delegated vendor’s guidelines may also be used to support medical necessity and other coverage determinations. Other non-clinical policies (e.g., payment policies) or contract terms may further determine whether a technology, procedure or treatment that is not addressed in the Clinical Policy Manuals or InterQual®criteria is payable by Magnolia Health.
If you have any questions regarding these policies, please contact Member Services and ask to be directed to the Medical Management department.
- 25-hydroxyvitamin D Testing in Children and Adolescents (CP.MP.157) (PDF)
- Acupuncture (CP.MP.92) (PDF)
- Air Ambulance (CP.MP.175) (PDF)
- Allergy Testing and Therapy (CP.MP.100) (PDF)
- Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplants for Sickle Cell Anemia and β-Thalassemia (CP.MP.108) (PDF)
- Applied Behavioral Analysis (CP.BH.104) (PDF)
- Articular Cartilage Defect Repairs (CP.MP.26) (PDF)
- Assisted Reproductive Technology (CP.MP.55) (PDF)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment and Treatment (CP.BH.124) (PDF)
- Bariatric Surgery (CP.MP.37) (PDF)
- Biofeedback (CP.MP.168) (PDF)
- Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid (CP.MP.93) (PDF)
- Bronchial Thermoplasty (CP.MP.110) (PDF)
- Burn Surgery (CP.MP.186) (PDF)
- Cardiac Biomarker Testing (CP.MP.156) (PDF)
- Caudal or Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injections (CP.MP.164) (PDF)
- Clinical Trials (CP.MP.94) (PDF)
- Cochlear Implant Replacements (CP.MP.14) (PDF)
- Cosmetic and Reconstructive Procedures (CP.MP.31) (PDF)
- CPG Grid (PDF)
- Diaphragmatic/Phrenic Nerve Stimulation (CP.MP.203) (PDF)
- Digital EEG Spike Analysis (CP.MP.105) (PDF)
- Disc Decompression Procedures (CP.MP.114) (PDF)
- Discography (CP.MP.115) (PDF)
- Donor Lymphocyte Infusion (CP.MP.101) (PDF)
- Drugs of Abuse: Definitive Drug Testing (CP.MP.50) (PDF)
- Durable Medical Equipment (DME) (CP.MP.107) (PDF)
- EEG in the Evaluation of Headache (CP.MP.155) (PDF)
- Electric Tumor Treating Fields (Optune) (CP.MP.145) (PDF)
- Evoked Potential Testing (CP.MP.134) (PDF)
- Experimental Technologies (CP.MP.36) (PDF)
- Facet Joint Interventions (CP.MP.171) (PDF)
- Facility Based Sleep Studies for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (CP.MP.248) (PDF)
- Fecal Incontinence Treatments (CP.MP.137) (PDF)
- Ferriscan R2-MRI (CP.MP.53) (PDF)
- Fertility Preservation (CP.MP.130) (PDF)
- Fetal Surgery in Utero for Prenatally Diagnosed Malformations (CP.MP.129) (PDF)
- Functional MRI (CP.MP.43) (PDF)
- Gastric Electrical Stimulation (CP.MP.40) (PDF)
- Gender-Affirming Procedures (CP.MP.95) (PDF)
- Helicobacter Pylori Serology Testing (CP.MP.153) (PDF)
- Holter Monitors (CP.MP.113) (PDF)
- Home Births (CP.MP.136) (PDF)
- Home Ventilators (CP.MP.184) (PDF)
- Homocysteine Testing (CP.MP.121) (PDF)
- Hospice Services (CP.MP.54) (PDF)
- Hyperhidrosis Treatments (CP.MP.62) (PDF)
- Implantable Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (CP.MP.180) (PDF)
- Implantable Intrathecal or Epidural Pain Pump (CP.MP.173) (PDF)
- Implantable Loop Recorder (CP.MP.243) (PDF)
- Implantable Wireless Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring (CP.MP.160) (PDF)
- Therapeutic Utilization of Inhaled Nitric Oxide (CP.MP.87) (PDF)
- Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (CP.MP.69) (PDF)
- Intestinal and Multivisceral Transplant (CP.MP.58) (PDF)
- Intradiscal Steroid Injections for Pain Management (CP.MP.167) (PDF)
- IV Moderate Sedation, IV Deep Sedation, and General Anesthesia for Dental Procedures (CP.MP.61) (PDF)
- Laser Therapy for Skin Conditions (CP.MP.123) (PDF)
- Liposuction for Lipedema (CP.MP.244) (PDF)
- Long Term Care Placement (CP.MP.71) (PDF)
- Low-frequency Ultrasound and Noncontact Normothermic Wound Therapy (CP.MP.139) (PDF)
- Lung Transplantation (CP.MP.57) (PDF)
- Lysis of Epidural Lesions (CP.MP.116) (PDF)
- Measurement of Serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (CP.MP.152) (PDF)
- Mechanical Stretching Devices for Joint Stiffness and Contracture (CP.MP.144) (PDF)
- Multiple Sleep Latency Testing (CP.MP.24) (PDF)
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Guidelines (CP.MP.86) (PDF)
- Neonatal Sepsis Management (CP.MP.85) (PDF)
- Nerve Blocks and Neurolysis for Pain Management (CP.MP.170) (PDF)
- Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) (CP.MP.48) (PDF)
- NICU Apnea Bradycardia Guidelines (CP.MP.82) (PDF)
- NICU Discharge Guidelines (CP.MP.81) (PDF)
- Nonmyeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants (CP.MP.141) (PDF)
- Obstetrical Home Care Programs (CP.MP.91) (PDF)
- Orthognathic Surgery (CP.MP.202) (PDF)
- Osteogenic Stimulation (CP.MP.194) (PDF)
- Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation (CP.MP.176) (PDF)
- Outpatient Oxygen Use (CP.MP.190) (PDF)
- Pancreas Transplantation (CP.MP.102) (PDF)
- Panniculectomy (CP.MP.109) (PDF)
- Pediatric Heart Transplant (CP.MP.138) (PDF)
- Pediatric Liver Transplant (CP.MP.120) (PDF)
- Pediatric Oral Function Therapy (CP.MP.188) (PDF)
- Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Stroke Prevention (CP.MP.147) (PDF)
- Phototherapy for Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia (CP.MP.150) (PDF)
- Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Services (CP.MP.49) (PDF)
- Polymerase Chain Reaction Respiratory Viral Panel Testing (CP.MP.181) (PDF)
- Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Voiding Dysfunction (CP.MP.133) (PDF)
- Proton and Neutron Beam Therapies (CP.MP.70) (PDF)
- Pulmonary Function Testing (CP.MP.242) (PDF)
- Reduction Mammoplasty and Gynecomastia Surgery (CP.MP.51) (PDF)
- Repair of Nasal Valve Compromise (CP.MP.210) (PDF)
- Sacroiliac Joint Interventions for Pain Management (CP.MP.166) (PDF)
- Sclerotherapy and Chemical Endovenous Ablation for Varicose Veins and Other Symptomatic Venous Disorders (CP.MP.146) (PDF)
- Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy for Spasticity in Cerebral Palsy (CP.MP.174) (PDF)
- Selective Nerve Root Blocks and Transforaminal Epidural Steriod Injections (CP.MP.165) (PDF)
- Short Inpatient Hospital Stay (CP.MP.182) (PDF)
- Skilled Nursing Facility Leveling (CP.MP.206) (PDF)
- Skin Substitutes for Chronic Wounds (CP.MP.185) (PDF)
- Spinal Cord, Peripheral Nerve, and Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (CP.MP.117) (PDF)
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (CP.MP.22) (PDF)
- Tandem Transplant (CP.MP.162) (PDF)
- Testing for Select Genitourinary Conditions (CP.MP.97) (PDF)
- Thyroid Hormones and Insulin Testing in Pediatrics (CP.MP.154) (PDF)
- Total Artificial Heart (CP.MP.127) (PDF)
- Total Parenteral Nutrition and Intradialytic Parenteral Nutrition (CP.MP.163) (PDF)
- Transcatheter Closure of Patent Foramen Ovale (CP.MP.151) (PDF)
- Transplant Service Documentation Requirements (CP.MP.247) (PDF)
- Trigger Point Injections for Pain Management (CP.MP.169) (PDF)
- Urinary Incontinence Devices and Treatments (CP.MP.142) (PDF)
- Urodynamic Testing (CP.MP.98) (PDF)
- Wheelchair Seating (CP.MP.99) (PDF)
- Wireless Motility Capsule (CP.MP.143) (PDF)
- Vagus Nerve Stimulation (CP.MP.12) (PDF)
- Ventricular Assist Devices (CP.MP.46) (PDF)
Payment Policies
Health care claims payment policies are guidelines used to assist in administering payment rules based on generally accepted principles of correct coding. They are used to help identify whether health care services are correctly coded for reimbursement. Each payment rule is sourced by a generally accepted coding principle. They include, but are not limited to claims processing guidelines referenced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Publication 100-04, Claims Processing Manual for physicians/non-physician practitioners, the CMS National Correct Coding Initiative policy manual (procedure-to-procedure coding combination edits and medically unlikely edits), Current Procedural Technology guidance published by the American Medical Association (AMA) for reporting medical procedures and services, health plan clinical policies based on the appropriateness of health care and medical necessity, and at times state-specific claims reimbursement guidance.
All policies found in the Magnolia Health Payment Policy Manual apply with respect to Magnolia Health members. Policies in the Magnolia Health Payment Policy Manual may have either a Magnolia Health or a “Centene” heading. In addition, Magnolia Health may from time to time employ a vendor that applies payment policies to specific services; in such circumstances, the vendor’s guidelines may also be used to determine whether a service has been correctly coded. Other policies (e.g., clinical policies) or contract terms may further determine whether a technology, procedure or treatment that is not addressed in the Payment Policy Manual is payable by Magnolia Health.
If you have any questions regarding these policies, please contact Member Services and ask to be directed to the Medical Management department.
- 30-Day Readmission (PDF)
- 340B Drug Payment Reduction (PDF)
- E&M Services Billed with Treatment Room Revenue Codes (CC.PP.071) (PDF)
- Endometrial Ablation (CP.MP.106) (PDF)
- GI Pathogen Nucleic Acid Detection Panel Testing (CP.MP.209) (PDF)
- Leveling of Care: Evaluation and Management Overcoding (PDF)
- Leveling of ER (PDF)
- Non-Emergent ER Services (PDF)
- Non-Obstetrical Pelvic and Transvaginal Ultrasounds (PDF)
- Optum Comprehensive Payment Integrity (CPI) (CC.PP.074) (PDF)
- Physician's Consultation Services (PDF)
- Place of Service Mismatch (PDF)
- Problem Oriented Visits and Prentative Visits (PDF)
- Problem Oriented Visits with Surgical Procedures (PDF)
- Ultrasound in Pregnancy (CP.MP.38) (PDF)
- Urine Specimen Validity Testing (PDF)