Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

The rules say that plans must pay for a medical service or item if regular Medicare would pay for it in this case. You can find this rule at 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 422.101.
A pneumatic compression device (PCD) coded as E0652 is covered for the treatment of lymphedema extending onto the chest, trunk and/or abdomen when all of the following are met: - The beneficiary has lymphedema of an extremity. - The coverage criteria for an E0650 or E0651 PCD are met. - The beneficiary has lymphedema extending onto the chest, trunk and/or abdomen that extends past the limits of a standard compression sleeve, and the chest, trunk and/or abdominal lymphedema has failed to improve with a four-week trial. A four-week trial of conservative therapy demonstrating failed response to treatment with an E0650 or E0651 is required. The four-week trial of conservative therapy must include all of the following: - At least four weeks of regular, daily, multiple-hour home usage of the E0650 or E0651 PCD after careful, in-person fitting, training and supervision by a technician who is skilled in and who regularly and successfully uses the appliance provided - Compliant use of an appropriate compression bandage system or compression garment to provide adequate graduated compression - Regular exercise - Elevation where appropriate - Manual lymphatic drainage (where available) and self-manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) for at least 30 minutes per day - Evaluation of diet and implementation of any necessary change - Medications as appropriate (e.g. diuretics and/or other treatment of congestive failure, etc.) - Correction (where possible) of anemia and/or hypoproteinemia You can find this information at Local Coverage Determination (LCD): Pneumatic Compression Devices (L33829). The Plan follows Medicare rules. The rules state that a PCD coded as E0651 is covered for the treatment of lymphedema and/ or for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency with venous stasis ulcers. A four-week trial of conservative therapy demonstrating failed response to treatment is required. We looked at the file and Medicare rules. Based on this information we decided that Medicare rules for coverage of the PCD have not been met. Specifically, the record does not show that the enrollee had at least four weeks of regular home usage of conservative therapy including compression garments, exercise and elevation. The rules say that gradient pressure garments may be covered when used as dressings following burn injuries. You can find this rule in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Internet Only Manual, Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Section 270.5. The rules also say that compression bandages, multi-layer systems, and gradient compression wraps are covered only when they are used as dressings over a qualifying wound. A qualifying wound is either a wound caused or treated by surgery or a wound that must be debrided. A gradient compression stocking or wrap described by codes A6531, A6532, or A6545 is only covered when it is used in the treatment of an open venous stasis ulcer. Gradient compression stockings and wraps identified with codes A6531, A6532, and A6545 are not covered when they are used to treat the following conditions:
- Venous insufficiency without stasis ulcers; - Prevention of stasis ulcers; - Prevention of the reoccurrence of stasis ulcers that have healed; - Treatment of lymphedema in the absence of ulcers. You can find these rules in Local Coverage Determination (LCD): Surgical Dressings L33831 and Local Coverage Article: Surgical Dressings-Policy Article A54563, effective for services performed on or after July 24, 2017.
If you want to read these Medicare rules, you can go to this website www.medicareappeal.com.
The Plan contract says that the Plan covers items and services in accordance with Medicare rules.